What stands out worked out from the figures below

North Brookfield has the most people working from home (13.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	North Brookfield	Townsend
People
Population	4,760Lowest	9,100Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+2.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.2±9.4Highest 13% above MA	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average
	North Brookfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Townsend and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9%	17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	North Brookfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	35.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,285±$11kLowest 24% below MA	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$359,100±$32kLowest 36% below MA	$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$981±$63Lowest 44% below MA	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,176Lowest 30% below MA	$6,031Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.4%±15.8Highest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	North Brookfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.9%Highest MA: 10%	8.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 28% above MA	37 minLowest 27% above MA
Work from home	13.1%±4.4Highest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
	North Brookfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#270 of 282 in MA	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	North Brookfield	North Middlesex
High school in town	North Brookfield High	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	5.5Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.