Compare towns
Barnard vs Dummerston vs Moretown vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Moretown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Barnard | Dummerston | Moretown | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,211Lowest |
2,090 |
1,532 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±6 9% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
46.8±3.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Moretown and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Barnard and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Moretown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,581±$19kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$104,423±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Moretown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $402,600±$71k 21% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$380,800±$36k 14% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,372±$80 about the U.S. average |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$838±$462Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,038Highest 94% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,506 77% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27%±19.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.1%±14.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Moretown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.