What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

Townsend has the most homeowners (82%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Boston	Townsend
People
Population	666,442Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA	40.9±3.3Highest about the MA average
Kids under 18	15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.1%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA
	Townsend and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA	$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA	$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,456Lowest 26% below MA	$6,031Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Boston and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.6%Highest MA: 10%	8.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 4% above MA	37 minHighest 27% above MA
Work from home	21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#258 of 282 in MA	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston	North Middlesex
High school in town	Boston Latin School	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	18.7Highest	13.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA 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.