What stands out worked out from the figures below

Buckland has the most people working from home (14.1%).

Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).

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	Buckland	Townsend
People
Population	2,036Lowest	9,100Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+2.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.5±5.4Highest 24% above MA	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average
	Buckland and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Townsend and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.4%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9%	17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.6%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$82,877±$6kLowest 20% below MA	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$321,400±$25kLowest 43% below MA	$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,111±$213Lowest 37% below MA	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA
	Townsend and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,761Lowest 21% below MA	$6,031Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58%±20.9Highest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Buckland and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13%Highest MA: 10%	8.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 5% above MA	37 minHighest 27% above MA
Work from home	14.1%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Buckland 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	Mohawk Trail	North Middlesex
High school in town	Mohawk Trail Regional School	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	9.5Lowest	13.1Highest
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.