Compare towns
Burke vs Cabot 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
Burke has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Cabot has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
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.
| Measure | Burke | Cabot | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,317Lowest |
1,579 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.8Highest 6% above U.S. |
40.3±6.6Lowest 4% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
| Burke and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±4 U.S.: 22% |
27.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cabot and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Burke and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,143±$17k 8% above U.S. |
$77,031±$16kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,600±$18k about the U.S. average |
$268,500±$77kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $938±$191Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$1,243±$354 12% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,177 66% above U.S. |
$4,639Lowest 49% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.6%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±26.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Burke and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
30 min 13% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Burke and Cabot 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | — | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.