Compare towns
Unity vs New Braintree vs Jefferson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has the most affordable homes ($276k median).
New Braintree has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.3%).
Jefferson has the most people working from home (17.5%).
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 | Unity | New Braintree | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,375Highest |
973Lowest |
1,013 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58±4.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
47.8±4.6Lowest 23% above U.S. |
58±3.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±9.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Unity and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| New Braintree and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,500±$16k 8% above U.S. |
$99,500±$8kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$67,188±$13kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| New Braintree and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $276,100±$29kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$408,800±$27kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$296,700±$92k 11% below U.S. |
| New Braintree and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$804Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,484±$316 5% above U.S. |
$867±$156Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Unity and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,394 73% above U.S. |
$5,508Highest 77% above U.S. |
$4,196Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±51.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±71.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| New Braintree and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 32% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
35 minLowest 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jefferson and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Unity School District | Quabbin | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 14 photos → |
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.