Compare towns
Brookline vs Lunenburg vs Pepperell 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 highest household income ($171k).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k 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 | Brookline | Lunenburg | Pepperell | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
11,902Highest |
11,663 |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1Highest 11% above U.S. |
42.4±3.3 9% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Pepperell 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% |
21.1%±3 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Lunenburg 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% |
17.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pepperell and Lunenburg 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% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Pepperell 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. |
$112,828±$11kLowest 40% above U.S. |
$124,073±$12k 54% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$463,900±$24k 39% above U.S. |
$482,100±$14k 45% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,974±$586 40% above U.S. |
$1,295±$238Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Lunenburg 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. |
$6,401 105% above U.S. |
$6,698 115% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Lunenburg 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% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 26% above U.S. |
36 min 37% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Pepperell 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #87 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | Lunenburg | North Middlesex | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Lunenburg High | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.