Compare towns

Brookline vs Fremont 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 the most people working from home (24.7%).
Fremont has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
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.

MeasureBrooklineFremontTownsend
People
Population
5,736
4,831Lowest
9,100Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+13%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.2±1.5
6% above U.S.
44.3±3.4Highest
14% above U.S.
40.9±3.3Lowest
5% above U.S.
Fremont 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%
20.4%±5.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21%±3.2
U.S.: 22%
Brookline and Townsend 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%
21.6%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.1%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Fremont 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%
32.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
35.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.3%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.2%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
Brookline and Townsend 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.
$120,781±$18kLowest
50% above U.S.
$121,528±$23k
51% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$544,400±$38kHighest
64% above U.S.
$416,900±$31kLowest
25% above U.S.
$433,200±$22k
30% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,500±$1k
77% above U.S.
$2,668±$795Highest
89% above U.S.
$1,469±$313Lowest
4% above U.S.
Fremont and Brookline 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.
$6,954
123% above U.S.
$6,031Lowest
93% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
23.8%±43.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
94.2%±5.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.6%±16.8
U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line
0.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
5.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
90.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
82%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
1988
8 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
25% above U.S.
37 minHighest
41% above U.S.
Work from home
24.7%±5.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
8.9%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±2.8
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #23 of 120 in NH #91 of 120 in NH #136 of 282 in MA
School district Brookline School District Fremont School District North Middlesex
High school in town None in town None in town North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school — —
13.1
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.