Compare towns
Holbrook vs Sterling vs Braintree Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holbrook has the oldest population (median age 42.8).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Braintree Town has the most people working from home (18.2%).
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 | Holbrook | Sterling | Braintree Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,380 |
3,629Lowest |
38,899Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +9.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.2Highest 10% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.3±1.2 6% above U.S. |
| Holbrook and Braintree Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holbrook 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+ | 34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Braintree Town and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,210±$14k 43% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$122,214±$10kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Braintree Town and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $465,400±$21k 40% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$656,800±$14kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,094±$423Lowest 23% below U.S. |
— | $2,024±$195Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,105Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,436 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Braintree Town and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.2%±2.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #234 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT | #84 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holbrook | Sterling School District | Braintree |
| High school in town | Holbrook Middle High School | None in town | Braintree High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Lowest |
— | 15.7Highest |
| 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.