What stands out worked out from the figures below

New Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).

Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).

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	New Bedford	Townsend
People
Population	100,998Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA	40.9±3.3Highest about the MA average
	Townsend and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4%	21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	New Bedford and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.1%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%
	Townsend and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	17%Lowest MA: 47.3%	35.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA	$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA
	Townsend and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,338Lowest 28% below MA	$6,031Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.6%±3.2Highest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	New Bedford and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	20.6%Highest MA: 10%	8.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 15% below MA	37 minHighest 27% above MA
Work from home	5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#263 of 282 in MA	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical	North Middlesex
High school in town	New Bedford High	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Highest	13.1Lowest
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.