Compare towns
Barnet vs Townsend vs Norton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnet has the most people working from home (55%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Norton has the most affordable homes ($200k median).
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 | Barnet | Townsend | Norton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 61Lowest |
9,100Highest |
108 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 62.2±45.8Highest 60% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
53.8±6.7 38% above U.S. |
| Barnet and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 31.1%±29.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
13%±21.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnet and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 36.1%±44.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±15.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnet and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±23.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±10.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,917±$16kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$65,625±$23k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $204,200±$38k 39% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$200,000±$32kLowest 40% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,950 5% below U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$2,769Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
— |
| Below poverty line | 47.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 100%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
100%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | — | 37 minLowest 41% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 49% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 55%±29Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±18 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barnet and Norton 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 | — | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.