City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Braintree, MA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Braintree - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

38,762
Residents
$125,305
Median income
$623,200
Median home
$2,941
Median rent (state)

Braintree - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Braintree lands in the 89th percentile for household income and the 49th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

89th
percentile, household income
90th
percentile, home value
97th
percentile, median rent
49th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Braintree, MA

Massachusetts's Braintree is a small city, with 38,762 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Braintree households earn a median of $125,305 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.7%. Braintree's housing stock carries a median value of $623,200, and the median resident age is 41.3 years. About 47.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 67.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 65 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 400% from five years earlier. Braintree reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1404.5 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Massachusetts scores 105.8 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,941 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Massachusetts run around $330, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 27.1 minutes, with 63.6% driving alone and 16.9% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 93.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

38,762 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Massachusetts

Median Household Income

$125,305 /yr

Poverty 3.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

How does Braintree compare to other US cities?

Where Braintree sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 89% higher than other cities
Home value 90% pricier than other cities
Median rent 97% pricier than other cities
Safety 49% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Massachusetts and the picture shifts: Braintree ranks #110 of 149 Massachusetts cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Braintree's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Massachusetts, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

89thIncome percentile
49thSafety percentile

89th percentile nationally for median household income · 49th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Braintree's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Braintree's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 48 Avg. percentile National median
Braintree's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Braintree's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$623,200 10th percentile more affordable than 10% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Braintree $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Braintree, MA Braintree, MA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Braintree, MA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Braintree, MA median $125,305/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Braintree, MA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Braintree, MA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 47.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
38,762
Median Income
$125,305
Median Home Value
$623,200
Median Age
41.3
Poverty Rate
3.7%
Labor force participation
67.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
47.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1404.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
284.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1120.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
10
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
38,600 residents38,800 residents39,000 residents39,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 39,080 residents 38,957 residents ▼ -0.3%
Braintree's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
65
housing units authorized
Single-Family
7
detached homes
Multifamily
58
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 13
2020 5
2021 12
2022 6
2023 5
2024 65

Permit volume increased 400% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
27.1 minutes
Drive Alone
63.6%
Carpool
6.4%
Public Transit
9.4%
Walk
2.5%
Work from Home
16.9%
Other
1.2%

Based on 20,996 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Massachusetts - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$160
avg/month
Natural Gas
$110
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$330
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Massachusetts state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Massachusetts state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Braintree sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.8
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,941/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
93.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Massachusetts

Chelsea
39,460 people
Holyoke
37,949 people
Westfield
40,673 people
Woburn
41,205 people
Marlborough
41,398 people
Fitchburg
41,633 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Braintree's 38,762 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

San Gabriel, CA
38,764 people
Clinton, MD
38,756 people
Vestavia Hills, AL
38,704 people
Valrico, FL
38,820 people
Prattville, AL
38,850 people
Bell Gardens, CA
38,661 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Braintree's $125,305 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Falmouth, VA
$125,305 median income
Emerald Mountain, AL
$125,341 median income
Keene, KY
$125,341 median income
Graceham, MD
$125,341 median income
Wayzata, MN
$125,344 median income
Wylandville, PA
$125,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Braintree, MA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Braintree, MA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 70.2% 21.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.1% White 70.2% Black or African American 3.0% Asian 21.2% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.8% Two or more races 4.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Braintree compares to nearby Massachusetts cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Braintree (this city) 38,762 $125,305
Chelsea 39,460 $72,220
Holyoke 37,949 $51,892
Westfield 40,673 $82,847
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Braintree, MA?

What is the population of Braintree, MA? +

Braintree, MA has a population of 38,762 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Braintree, MA? +

In Braintree, the typical household earns $125,305 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Braintree? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Braintree; the closest available measure is the Massachusetts state average, a cost of living index of 105.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Massachusetts vary by metro area.

Is Braintree, MA safe? +

Braintree has a total crime rate of 1404.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Braintree, MA? +

The median home value in Braintree is $623,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.