Compare towns
Cornish vs Dummerston vs Townsend vs Croydon
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%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Croydon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Cornish | Dummerston | Townsend | Croydon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
2,090 |
9,100Highest |
798Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43±9.1 11% 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% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19%±6.3 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%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Croydon and Cornish 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% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4%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% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Croydon 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. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$98,333±$21k 22% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Dummerston 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 |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$317,300±$33k 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$991±$336Lowest 30% below 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. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,806Lowest 22% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
7.1%±75.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Dummerston 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Cornish 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 | Cornish School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | North Middlesex | Croydon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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 | 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.