Living in Braintree Massachusetts

Braintree, MA

Home to families and young professionals. Locals love the community for its friendliness, diversity, services, proximity to Boston and access to Cape Cod.

Mayor:

Erin V. Joyce

(2024 – Present)

Population:

39,957

(2024 Census)

Founded:

1640

(Settled: 1634)

County:

Norfolk

(Greater Boston Area)

About Braintree, MA

Officially known as the “Town of Braintree,” Braintree is a 14.5 square mile town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, just south of Boston. Like other towns in New England, Braintree is named after a town in England. As to the origins of the admittedly strange name of the eponymous town, that’s anyone’s guess, but most experts believe it was derived from words in an older English dialect that probably have little to do with brains or trees in the first place.

Originally, Braintree was mostly suburban, but the opening and substantial growth of the South Shore Plaza in 1961 led to an influx of new residents. This has led to some of the locals complaining about the traffic, but they still love the community for its friendliness, diversity, services, and opportunities, not to mention its proximity to Boston. Braintree also provides easy access to the cape via the CapeFLYER train line.

Braintree is mostly home to families and young professionals, so you can find all the amenities you’d need to settle down and raise kids. There are also plenty of professional opportunities in Braintree’s office, retail, and industrial parks that wouldn’t require you to commute to Boston.

For family-oriented fun, check out the X1 Boston go-kart center or the competitively priced Braintree Municipal Golf Course. If you need a dose of nature, just head over to Pond Meadow Park. The paved walking trail is ideal for runners, but many locals prefer the trails through the woods when they need a space to walk and think. You can also go to the nearby Blue Hills Reservation if you’re feeling particularly adventurous.

Many of the homes in Braintree are either renovated or relatively new, but there are still historic and Colonial-style homes available as well.

If you need a dose of nature, just head over to Pond Meadow Park. The paved walking trail is ideal for runners, but many locals prefer the trails through the woods. You can also go to the nearby Blue Hills Reservation if you’re feeling particularly adventurous.

Politics

In the 2024 presidential election, Braintree voted:

Republican: 9,210
Democrat: 10,546

Source: Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Taxes

Residential Tax Rate for Fiscal Year 2026: $10.06 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Average single-family property tax bill: $7,307
Average value of single-family home in Braintree: $726,203

Sources: Braintree, MA Assessors Office; The Patriot Ledger

Commuting

Braintree is well-connected to Boston. There are two commuter rail stops serving Braintree residents:

Commuter Rail Stop: Braintree Station

Location: 197 Ivory St

Braintree Station is a major intermodal hub and the southern terminus of the MBTA Red Line subway. It is served by the Fall River/New Bedford Line and the Kingston Line, both of which run into South Station in Downtown Boston.

The station is wheelchair accessible. It also features a large park-and-ride garage with over 1,300 spaces and connects to multiple MBTA bus routes.

Braintree Station is the southern terminus of the Red Line, which runs directly into Downtown Boston. The ride to South Station takes approximately 23-25 minutes and runs every 15 minutes. This is often the fastest and most stress-free option for getting into the city, as it bypasses highway traffic entirely and drops riders off at the heart of downtown.

Visit the Braintree Station Mass by Train page for more information.

Commuter Rail Stop: Weymouth Landing/East Braintree Station

Location: 121 Commercial St, on the Braintree/Weymouth border

This station is served by the Greenbush Line, which also runs into South Station. It is wheelchair accessible, featuring a full high-level platform for level boarding to every train car, along with handicap parking spaces.

Visit the Weymouth Landing Mass by Train page for more information.

Driving into Boston from Braintree

Source: Google Maps

Commuters driving from Braintree to Downtown Boston have a short trip of approximately 11-13 miles. The most common and direct route is I-93 North, which heads straight into the city.

This route typically takes about 20 to 30 minutes under normal conditions. During rush hour, however, trips can take anywhere from 30 minutes to well over an hour. An alternative route is Route 3 North, which is also roughly 13 miles.

Ride Share Availability

Both Uber and Lyft offer good coverage in Braintree, thanks to its proximity to Boston, Quincy, Weymouth, and Hingham.

According to Uber, Braintree Station is one of the most-requested Uber pickup and drop-off points in town. Drivers are typically available throughout the day at this location.

Sources: Uber Braintree City Guide, Lyft

Education

Braintree Public Schools’ FY2026 budget is approximately $82.8 million, a roughly 4.09% increase over FY2025. The school budget is part of the city’s overall FY2026 General Fund budget of $175,664,045.

Source: Braintree Fiscal Impact Analysis

Braintree Early Education Schools

Public:
- Integrated Preschool Lab (housed within Braintree High School).
Private:
- The Goddard School of Braintree
- Braintree KinderCare.

Braintree Elementary and Middle Schools

Public Elementary:
- Mary E. Flaherty Elementary School
- Highlands Elementary School
- Hollis Elementary School
- Liberty Elementary School
- Archie T. Morrison Elementary School
- Donald Ross Elementary School
Public middle:
- East Middle School
- South Middle School.
There are no dedicated private elementary or middle schools based in Braintree.

Source: Braintree Public Schools

Braintee High Schools

Public:
- Braintree High School (“Wamps”)
Private:
- Thayer Academy (independent day school, grades 5-12)
- Archbishop Williams High School (Catholic, grades 7-12).

Sources: Thayer Academy, Archbishop Williams High School

Braintree MCAS Test Results

On the Spring 2025 MCAS, Braintree students outperformed the state average in every tested grade and subject.

In Grades 3-8 ELA, 52% of Braintree students met or exceeded expectations, versus 42% statewide; in Grades 3-8 Math, 57% versus 41% statewide.

In Grade 10, 61% of Braintree students met or exceeded expectations in ELA (versus 51% statewide), 64% in Math (versus 45% statewide), and 67% in Science (versus 46% statewide).

Braintree also posted correspondingly lower rates of students not meeting expectations across every subject and grade band tested.

Source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Housing Stock

Braintree is a medium-density suburban city dominated by owner-occupied single-family homes, including colonials, capes, and ranches. These stand alongside a growing number of condos and newer builds concentrated near the town center and the MBTA station.

As of early to mid 2026, the median single-family home sale price is roughly $672,000-$679,400. The average single-family home trades around $764,750, and condos average about $437,500.

Zillow puts the average home value at $739,143, up 1.5% year over year.

Sources: Redfin, Zillow

Special Mortgage Financing Available

Is the Town USDA-Lendable?

No. A USDA eligibility search for a sample address in the town center (100 Washington St, Braintree, MA 02184) returned “This address is not located in an eligible area.” The entire town falls within the ineligible, urbanized Greater Boston area on the USDA eligibility map.

Source: USDA Property Eligibility Tool

Is the Town Eligible for Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac Financing?

Yes. However, Braintree’s census-designated tract (FIPS 25021419200, Norfolk County) is designated a Fannie Mae “High Cost Area,” not a low-income tract. The town is eligible for the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Loan Level Price Adjustment (LLPA) Waiver for First-Time Home Buyers.

Specifications:

100% Area Median Income (AMI): $155,000
120% AMI threshold used for the high-cost first-time-homebuyer LLPA waiver: $186,000
80% AMI/HomeReady threshold for repeat buyers: $124,000.

Conforming loan limits for Norfolk County run from $962,550 for a single-unit property up to $1,851,100 for a four-unit property.

Source: Fannie Mae AMI Lookup Tool

Nightlife

Braintree residents looking for a bigger night out typically hop on the Red Line into Boston or head over to nearby Quincy, but the town has its own draws as well. South Shore Plaza, one of the region’s largest shopping and entertainment destinations, is a notable location. It offers a mix of restaurants, as well as a movie theater to keep the area busy into the evening.

Most of Braintree’s bars and restaurants are national chains, but locals tend to gravitate toward a handful of long-running, independent spots.

The SouthSide Tavern Restaurant is a good example. It’s an unpretentious, long-standing neighborhood bar and eatery that stays open late, and it was even voted “Best Neighborhood Restaurant in Braintree” at one time.

Sources: Tripadvisor, SouthSide Tavern

Cell Service

All three major carriers (AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile) provide strong 5G coverage across nearly all of Braintree. AT&T and Verizon each cover close to 100% of the town, and T-Mobile offers 5G to about 99.99% of the area, along with the fastest median download speeds.

Source: CoverageMap.com

Sports

Braintree High School, home of the “Wamps,” fields teams across three seasons in the Bay State Conference. Its teams include football, soccer, field hockey, and cross country in the fall; basketball, ice hockey, and wrestling in the winter; and baseball, softball, lacrosse, and track in the spring.

The school has a strong athletic tradition, with girls’ basketball state titles and perennial conference-winning gymnastics and dance teams among its highlights.

Beyond the high school, Braintree residents have access to youth soccer leagues, adult softball leagues, and a range of programs and facilities through the town’s Parks and Recreation department. Both kids and adults have plenty of ways to stay active locally.

Sources: Wikipedia – Braintree High School, Braintree Public Schools Athletics

Coolest Coffee Shop

For a locally owned alternative to the chains, Braintree residents point to The Casual Cup Cafe on Washington Street. It’s a gourmet coffee shop that’s built a loyal following as a neighborhood favorite for coffee, baked goods, and a friendly, small-business atmosphere.

Customers say it’s a nice change of pace from the Starbucks and Dunkin locations scattered around town.

Source: The Casual Cup Cafe

Walkability

Braintree is largely car-dependent overall, with a citywide Walk Score of around 38 out of 100 (some aggregators put it as low as 29).

Walkability varies quite a bit by neighborhood, though. For example, North Braintree scores closer to 46, and pockets near the MBTA station and denser village centers can reach 60 to 83, making them “Very Walkable.”

Most residents outside those areas will still need a car for everyday errands.

Sources: Walk Score, Jenkins Group Braintree Neighborhood Guide

Braintree, Massachusetts