What stands out worked out from the figures below

Croydon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).

Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).

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	Croydon	Braintree
People
Population	798Lowest	1,026Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43±9.1Lowest 11% above U.S.	58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22%	12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Croydon and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Braintree and Croydon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	30.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Croydon and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$98,333±$21kHighest 22% above U.S.	$79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average
	Croydon and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$317,300±$33kHighest 5% below U.S.	$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$991±$336Highest 30% below U.S.	$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S.
	Croydon and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,806Lowest 22% above U.S.	$3,908Highest 25% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	7.1%±75.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	43.4%±29.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Braintree and Croydon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.	1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 min about the U.S. average	26 min about the U.S. average
Work from home	5.3%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
School district	Croydon School District	Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.