Compare towns
Dover vs Newfane vs Townsend vs Wardsboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Wardsboro has the most homeowners (90.4%).
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 | Dover | Newfane | Townsend | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
1,456 |
9,100Highest |
820Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 38% above U.S. |
54.4±3.9Highest 40% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
51.6±7.3 33% above U.S. |
| Newfane and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.1%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$66,719±$21k 17% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$62,000±$6k 23% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$284,200±$49kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$299,300±$47k 10% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,266±$238 10% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,479±$224Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Wardsboro and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 45% above U.S. |
$5,174 66% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,345Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.9%±79.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.5%±58Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wardsboro and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.8%±12.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfane and Dover 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 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | North Middlesex | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
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| 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.