Compare towns
Eliot vs Lee 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
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k 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 | Eliot | Lee | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146 |
4,576Lowest |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Lee and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Lee and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
— | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$9,661Highest 210% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #3 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Oyster River Coop School District | North Middlesex |
| High school 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 | 10 photos → | 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.