Braintree, Massachusetts

Braintree Town of Braintree
City
Braintree Town Hall
Flag Seal
Location in Norfolk County in Massachusetts
Braintree Location in the United States
Coordinates: 42°12′22″N 71°00′18″W / 42.206°N 71.005°W / 42.206; -71.005Coordinates: 42°12′22″N 71°00′18″W / 42.206°N 71.005°W / 42.206; -71.005
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Norfolk
Settled	1625
Colonized	1635
Incorporated	1640
Government
• Type	Mayor-council
• Mayor	Joseph C. Sullivan
Area
• Total	37.6 km2 (14.5 sq mi)
• Land	36.0 km2 (13.9 sq mi)
• Water	1.6 km2 (0.6 sq mi)
Elevation	27 m (90 ft)
Population (2010)
• Total	35,744
• Density	992.9/km2 (2,571.5/sq mi)
Time zone	Eastern (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code	02184/02185 (Braintree Highlands)
Area code(s)	339 / 781
FIPS code	25-07665
GNIS feature ID	0618316
Website	www.braintreema.gov

Braintree (US pronunciation: /ˌbreɪnˈtriː/), officially the Town of Braintree, is a suburban New England city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Although officially known as a town, Braintree adopted a municipal charter, effective 2008, with a mayor-council form of government and is considered a city under Massachusetts law. The population was 35,744 at the 2010 census. The town is part of the Greater Boston area with access to the MBTA Red Line and is a member of the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission's South Shore Coalition. The first and current mayor of Braintree is Joe Sullivan. Braintree, Massachusetts is named after Braintree, Essex in England.

The town of Braintree was settled in 1625, colonized in 1635 and incorporated in 1640 and named after the English town of Braintree. It comprised land that was later split into Quincy (incorporated in 1792), Randolph (1793), and Holbrook (1872). Braintree was part of Suffolk County until the formation of Norfolk County in 1793.