Compare towns
Chelmsford vs Reading vs Braintree Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chelmsford has the most affordable homes ($594k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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.
| Measure | Chelmsford | Reading | Braintree Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 36,446 |
25,612Lowest |
38,899Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±1.9 4% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
41.3±1.2Lowest 3% above MA |
| Reading and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.8% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest 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±$8k 35% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$122,214±$10kLowest 18% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $593,700±$17kLowest 6% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$656,800±$14k 17% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,062±$151Highest 17% above MA |
$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,024±$195 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 | $8,047 34% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$5,436Lowest 9% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±10 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
77.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
33 minHighest 12% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #79 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #84 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chelmsford | Reading | Braintree |
| High school in town | Chelmsford High | Reading Memorial High | Braintree High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
12.1Lowest |
15.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.