Compare towns
Mapleton vs Pepperell 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
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Pepperell has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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.
| Measure | Mapleton | Pepperell | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
11,663Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
42.4±3.3Highest 9% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Pepperell and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mapleton and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pepperell and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$124,073±$12kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Pepperell and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$482,100±$14kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,295±$238 8% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$6,698Highest 115% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #153 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | North Middlesex | 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 History | 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.