Compare towns
Charleston vs Sutton 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
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Sutton | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 936Lowest |
2,239Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±9.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Lowest 24% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 37.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest 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% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton and Charleston 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. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$53k 28% below U.S. |
$362,600±$16kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$444 31% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Sutton 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. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±26.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Braintree and Charleston 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.7%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest 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 | Kearsarge Regional School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.