Braintree Town receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Braintree Town
Cambridge
Opportunity
71 · Top 21%
vs73 · Top 17%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
62 · Bottom 24%
vs65 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 9%
vs88 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 35%
vs41 · Bottom 5%
Schools
78 · Top 17%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
98 · Top 15%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
75 · Top 16%
vs58 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Braintree Town | Cambridge | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,899 | 118,796 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $122,214 | $130,748 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $57,790 | $78,723 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,827/sq mi | 18,571/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $656,800 | $1,092,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,024 | $2,787 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.6% | 33.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.5% | 80.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 12.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 55 | 337 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.6% | 361.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.3" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.7 min | 28.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.3 | 30.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.02 | 9.92 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.5% | 37.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 61.2% | 54.6% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Braintree Town
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Cambridge
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Braintree Town
75
Your Score
73
Area Score
Cambridge
70
Your Score
70
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Braintree Town, MA · Cambridge, MA · How this is calculated: methodology