Compare towns
Charleston vs Cornish vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Charleston has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($296k median).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
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 | Charleston | Cornish | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 936Lowest |
1,816Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±9.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
54±8.3Lowest 39% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Cornish and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Charleston and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Charleston and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,286±$17kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$53k 28% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$444 31% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,750Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±26.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Braintree and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.7%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Charleston School District | Cornish 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 Our Story | 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.