Compare towns
Belvidere vs Townsend vs Bakersfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belvidere has the most affordable homes ($239k median).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Bakersfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).
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 | Belvidere | Townsend | Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 422Lowest |
9,100Highest |
1,109 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
46.4±8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Bakersfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
13.6%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Belvidere and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 8.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bakersfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bakersfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,563±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$83,462±$18k 3% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $239,200±$51kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$271,300±$19k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,542±$1kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,200±$327Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Belvidere and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 25% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,823Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±53.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
18.8%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Belvidere and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
37 min 41% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.4%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bakersfield and Townsend 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| 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.