What stands out worked out from the figures below

New Braintree has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.3%).

Pittsfield has the most people working from home (11.6%).

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	New Braintree	Pittsfield
People
Population	973Lowest	4,105Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	47.8±4.6Highest 23% above U.S.	41.5±5.1Lowest 7% above U.S.
	New Braintree and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.8%±6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Pittsfield and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	New Braintree and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pittsfield and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$99,500±$8kHighest 23% above U.S.	$74,318±$14kLowest 8% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$408,800±$27kHighest 23% above U.S.	$294,800±$30kLowest 11% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,484±$316Highest 5% above U.S.	$1,239±$182Lowest 12% below U.S.
	New Braintree and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,508Lowest 77% above U.S.	$5,694Highest 83% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±51.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	67.5%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pittsfield and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	68.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S.	1980Lowest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 39% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	7.4%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	11.6%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Pittsfield and New Braintree 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	—	#93 of 120 in NH
School district	Quabbin	Pittsfield School District
High school in town	None in town	Pittsfield High School
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.