What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chelmsford has the most people working from home (22.8%).

Braintree Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Chelmsford	Braintree Town
People
Population	36,446Lowest	38,899Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.6±1.9Highest 4% above MA	41.3±1.2Lowest 3% above MA
	Chelmsford and Braintree Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.6%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4%	20.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Chelmsford and Braintree Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.1%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9%	17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Chelmsford and Braintree Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	47.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.5%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%
	Braintree Town and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$140,629±$8kHighest 35% above MA	$122,214±$10kLowest 18% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$593,700±$17kLowest 6% above MA	$656,800±$14kHighest 17% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,062±$151Highest 17% above MA	$2,024±$195Lowest 15% above MA
	Chelmsford and Braintree Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,047Highest 34% above MA	$5,436Lowest 9% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.7%±10Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.9%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Braintree Town and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest MA: 10%	5.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	77.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA	1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 4% below MA	33 minHighest 12% above MA
Work from home	22.8%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6%	18.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Chelmsford and Braintree Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#79 of 282 in MA	#84 of 282 in MA
School district	Chelmsford	Braintree
High school in town	Chelmsford High	Braintree High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.0Lowest	15.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

MA 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.