The current mayor of Braintree is Erin Joyce who was elected in 2023, defeating incumbent Charles Kokoros.

Its boundaries initially were larger, but some portions were split into the municipalities of Quincy (incorporated in 1792), Randolph (1793), and Holbrook (1872).

[15] Braintree shares borders with Quincy to the north, Randolph to the west (separated by the Cochato River), Holbrook to the south, and Weymouth to the east.

Spring and fall are usually mild, with varying conditions dependent on wind direction and jet stream positioning.

Prevailing wind patterns that blow offshore minimize the influence of the Atlantic Ocean.

Periods exceeding 90 °F (32 °C) in summer and below freezing in winter are not uncommon but are rarely extended, with about 13 and 25 days per year seeing each, respectively.

Braintree's coastal location on the North Atlantic moderates its temperature, but makes the city very prone to nor'easter weather systems that can produce much snow and rain.

Thunderstorms occur from May to September and are occasionally severe, with large hail, damaging winds and heavy downpours.

As of 2014 Braintree had the 2nd highest concentration of Irish Americans in the entire country, slightly behind Scituate, Massachusetts.

Braintree is home to several large companies, including Altra Industrial Motion, Greater Media, and TopSource LLC.

[36] In 1980, then presidential candidate Ronald Reagan made a campaign speech at a South Shore Chamber of Commerce luncheon held there.

Braintree is situated in the Greater Boston Area, which has rail, air, and highway facilities.

State Route 128 and Interstate 95 divide the region into inner and outer zones, which are connected by numerous "spokes" providing direct access to the airport, port, and intermodal facilities of Boston.

Weekday rail service on the Greenbush Line started in late 2007 and is accessible from the Weymouth Landing/East Braintree station on Quincy Avenue.

Residential development, proximity to the town's water supply, and a number of accidents led to its closure in 1968.