What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hull has the most people working from home (19.7%).

Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).

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	Hull	Townsend
People
Population	10,138Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+2.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	26.1%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%	17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$115,485±$14kLowest 11% above MA	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA
	Townsend and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$646,000±$38kHighest 15% above MA	$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,081±$187Highest 18% above MA	$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,089Highest about the MA average	$6,031Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±14Highest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hull and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Lowest MA: 10%	8.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 14% above MA	37 minHighest 27% above MA
Work from home	19.7%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#66 of 282 in MA	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	Hull	North Middlesex
High school in town	Hull High	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	8.8Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA 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.