Compare towns
Roxbury vs Exeter vs Brookfield vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Roxbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.9%).
Exeter has the most homeowners (97.7%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Roxbury | Exeter | Brookfield | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 942 |
913Lowest |
1,486Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±11.7Lowest 8% below U.S. |
51.7±12.6 33% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 30.6%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±7.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Roxbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±10.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,214±$22kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$77,550±$19k 4% below U.S. |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Brookfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,600±$55k 27% below U.S. |
$243,000±$89k 27% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$495 33% below U.S. |
$867±$44 39% below U.S. |
$975±$306Highest 31% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,284 37% above U.S. |
$2,926Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$4,560Highest 46% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Braintree and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 27.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 5.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | 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 | 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.