Compare towns
Cabot vs Townsend 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 most expensive homes ($433k median).
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 | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,579 |
9,100Highest |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest 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. |
48.8±3.2Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cabot and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cabot and Walden 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% |
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% |
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. |
$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. |
$238,900±$23kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,243±$354 12% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above 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. |
$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% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Townsend 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% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest 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. |
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. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| 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.