Compare towns
Barrington vs Townsend vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barrington has the most people working from home (18.7%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k 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 | Barrington | Townsend | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,489 |
9,100Lowest |
33,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±2.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
43±1.8Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Rochester and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Barrington and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barrington and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,323±$14k 37% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$80,836±$3kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Townsend and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $399,100±$30k 20% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$279,100±$10kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,867±$194Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,369±$72Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Barrington and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,121Highest 128% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
$5,334Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.1%±25.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barrington and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
66%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±2.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #65 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA | #98 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barrington School District | North Middlesex | Rochester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Spaulding High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Lowest |
13.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.