Compare towns
Castle Hill vs Townsend vs Wade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castle Hill has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Wade has the most renters (21.7% 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 | Castle Hill | Townsend | Wade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 281 |
9,100Highest |
244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 57.8±15.8Highest 49% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
53.6±18.5 38% above U.S. |
| Castle Hill and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±6.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 44.8%±6.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.8%±10.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Castle Hill and Wade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±5.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,250±$14k 33% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$41,818±$25kLowest 48% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $145,300±$18kLowest 56% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$157,100±$109k 53% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$574Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
— |
| Townsend and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,449Lowest 54% below U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$1,655 47% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castle Hill and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townsend and Castle Hill 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 | — |
| High school 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.