What stands out worked out from the figures below

Moultonborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.6%).

Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).

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	Moultonborough	Townsend
People
Population	5,126Lowest	9,100Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+21.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	58.3±4.5Highest 50% above U.S.	40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S.
Kids under 18	10.9%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	35.3%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	49%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Moultonborough and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,693±$18kLowest 32% above U.S.	$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S.
	Townsend and Moultonborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$644,200±$120kHighest 94% above U.S.	$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,452±$491Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S.
	Townsend and Moultonborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,479Lowest 12% above U.S.	$6,031Highest 93% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	7.1%±23.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S.	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 16% below U.S.	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.
Work from home	23%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#36 of 120 in NH	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	Moultonborough School District	North Middlesex
High school in town	Moultonborough Academy	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	6.7Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.