What stands out worked out from the figures below

Concord has the most people working from home (36.1%).

Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).

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	Townsend
People
Population	18,223Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	47.6±2Highest 19% above MA	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	23.6%±2.6Highest MA: 19.4%	21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Concord and Townsend 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%	17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	79.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Concord and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$195,350±$22kHighest 88% above MA	$121,528±$23kLowest 17% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,210,000±$72kHighest 115% above MA	$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,631±$166Highest 49% above MA	$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$6,031Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.2%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Concord and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%	8.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82%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	37 minHighest 27% above MA
Work from home	36.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#10 of 282 in MA	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	Concord · Concord-Carlisle	North Middlesex
High school in town	Concord Carlisle High	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.