Compare towns
Cornish vs Dummerston vs Pepperell vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Pepperell has the most expensive homes ($482k median).
Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
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 | Cornish | Dummerston | Pepperell | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
2,090 |
11,663Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
42.4±3.3 9% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pepperell and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$124,073±$12kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Pepperell and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$482,100±$14kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,295±$238 8% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,698Highest 115% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Pepperell 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 | — | — | #153 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Cornish School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | North Middlesex | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.