What stands out worked out from the figures below

Concord has the most renters (24.3% rent).

Carlisle has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Concord	Carlisle
People
Population	18,223Highest	5,239Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	47.6±2Highest 19% above MA	45.3±3.1Lowest 13% above MA
	Concord and Carlisle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.6%±2.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	26.4%±5.8Highest MA: 19.4%
	Carlisle and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9%	21.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Concord and Carlisle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	79.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	87.2%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Concord and Carlisle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$195,350±$22kLowest 88% above MA	$250,001Highest 140% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,210,000±$72kHighest 115% above MA	$1,103,900±$46kLowest 96% above MA
	Concord and Carlisle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,631±$166Highest 49% above MA	$1,313±$855Lowest 25% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+ at least 67% above MA	$10,000+ at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.2%±10.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	77%±21.4Highest MA: 51.8%
	Carlisle and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Highest MA: 10%	1.5%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	93.6%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minLowest 11% above MA	35 minHighest 21% above MA
Work from home	36.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	38.5%±8.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Carlisle and Concord 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	#10 of 282 in MA	#24 of 282 in MA
School district	Concord · Concord-Carlisle	Carlisle
High school in town	Concord Carlisle High	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.