Compare towns
Cornish vs Lunenburg 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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Lunenburg | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
11,902Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1 11% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Lunenburg 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% |
17.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
44%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Lunenburg 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. |
$112,828±$11k 40% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Lunenburg 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. |
$463,900±$24kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,974±$586Highest 40% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 86% above U.S. |
$6,401Highest 105% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Lunenburg 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% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
36 min 37% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lunenburg 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 | — | #87 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Cornish School District | Lunenburg | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Lunenburg High | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.