What stands out worked out from the figures below

Glocester has the most people working from home (13.1%).

Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Glocester	Townsend
People
Population	10,221Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3% U.S.: +7.4%	+2.3% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	50.8±4.3Highest 31% above U.S.	40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.8%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Townsend and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Glocester and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Townsend and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,508±$7kLowest 41% above U.S.	$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S.
	Townsend and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$396,500±$28kLowest 19% above U.S.	$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S.
	Townsend and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,417±$627Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S.
	Townsend and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,248Lowest 68% above U.S.	$6,031Highest 93% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.5%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1%	50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Glocester and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minLowest 30% above U.S.	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.
Work from home	13.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Glocester and Townsend 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	#12 of 38 in RI	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	Foster-Glocester · Glocester	North Middlesex
High school in town	Ponaganset High School	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.