Compare towns
Deerfield vs Townsend vs Northwood
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
Northwood has the most affordable homes ($363k 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.
| Measure | Deerfield | Townsend | Northwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,932 |
9,100Highest |
4,688Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±4.2Highest 10% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.4±7.8 9% above U.S. |
| Deerfield and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Northwood and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,563±$10kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
$129,375±$23k 60% above U.S. |
| Deerfield and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $421,000±$33k 27% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$363,000±$13kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,593±$318Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,201±$372Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Deerfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,369Highest 136% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
$5,806Lowest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.4%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.7%±29.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 30% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
37 min 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.4%±6.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.7%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Deerfield and Northwood 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 | #61 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA | #24 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Deerfield School District | North Middlesex | Northwood School District · Coe-Brown Northwood Academy School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Coe-Brown Northwood Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.