Compare towns
Brookfield vs Unity vs Braintree vs Roxbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Unity has the most homeowners (94.5%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Roxbury has the most kids (30.6% under 18).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Brookfield | Unity | Braintree | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
1,375 |
1,026 |
942Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
58±4.5 49% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
35.6±11.7Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Braintree and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
30.6%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Unity and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$87,500±$16k 8% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$73,214±$22kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$276,100±$29k 17% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$242,600±$55k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,625±$804Highest 15% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$950±$495 33% below U.S. |
| Unity and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$5,394Highest 73% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$4,284 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Braintree and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
27.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
35 min 32% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Unity School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.