Compare towns
Burlington vs Townsend vs Woburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burlington has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Woburn has the most renters (44.3% 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 | Burlington | Townsend | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,274 |
9,100Lowest |
41,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
39.3±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Burlington and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Townsend and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$111,185±$9kLowest 7% above MA |
| Burlington and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$673,500±$17k 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA |
$2,221±$77 26% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,165Highest about the MA average |
$6,031 about the MA average |
$5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Woburn and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.2% MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.5%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #83 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Burlington | North Middlesex | Woburn |
| High school in town | Burlington High | North Middlesex Regional | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
13.1Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.