Compare towns
Brookline vs Charlton 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
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Charlton has the oldest population (median age 43).
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
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 | Brookline | Charlton | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
13,435Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
43±4Highest 11% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Charlton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
24.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Charlton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Charlton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$117,587±$8kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$427,500±$19kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,381±$415Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,617Lowest 48% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±9.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 24% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #23 of 120 in NH | #133 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg · Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School Distric | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.7Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.