Compare towns
Cabot vs Townsend vs Burke vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Burke has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Walden has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
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 | Cabot | Townsend | Burke | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,579 |
9,100Highest |
1,317 |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±6.6Lowest 4% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
41.1±4.8 6% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Walden and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
23%±4 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest 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%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 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+ | 44.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,031±$16kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$87,143±$17k 8% above U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,500±$77k 19% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$340,600±$18k about the U.S. average |
$238,900±$23kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,243±$354 12% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$938±$191 34% below U.S. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below 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 | $4,639 49% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,177 66% above U.S. |
$3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±26.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
74.6%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Burke and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.4%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7 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 | — | North Middlesex | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.