What stands out worked out from the figures below

Oxford has the most people working from home (16.4%).

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	Oxford	Townsend
People
Population	13,385Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+2.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42±2.8Highest 5% above MA	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average
	Oxford and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.3%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4%	21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Oxford and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.1%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%
	Townsend and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%	35.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Oxford and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,862±$10kLowest about the MA average	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA
	Townsend and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,900±$18kLowest 33% below MA	$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,177±$142Lowest 33% below MA	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA
	Townsend and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,622Lowest 23% below MA	$6,031Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.8%±15.9Highest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Oxford and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.7%Lowest MA: 10%	8.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	82%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	37 minHighest 27% above MA
Work from home	16.4%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Oxford 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	#245 of 282 in MA	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	Oxford	North Middlesex
High school in town	Oxford High	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	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.