Compare towns
Holbrook vs Meredith 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
Holbrook has the most homeowners (84%).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Holbrook | Meredith | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,380Highest |
6,758Lowest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.2 10% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Holbrook and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,210±$14k 43% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $465,400±$21k 40% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,094±$423Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,105Highest 96% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±18.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 min 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #234 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holbrook | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Holbrook Middle High School | Inter-Lakes High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
11.1Lowest |
13.1 |
| 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.