What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pembroke has the most people working from home (21.2%).

Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).

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	Pembroke	Townsend
People
Population	18,382Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.5±3.3Highest 14% above MA	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average
	Pembroke and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Townsend and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.4%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%	17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Pembroke and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$146,285±$17kHighest 41% above MA	$121,528±$23kLowest 17% above MA
	Pembroke and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$586,500±$28kHighest 4% above MA	$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,464±$753Highest 40% above MA	$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA
	Pembroke and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,585Highest 10% above MA	$6,031Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Townsend and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Lowest MA: 10%	8.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	82%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minLowest 19% above MA	37 minHighest 27% above MA
Work from home	21.2%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#82 of 282 in MA	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	Pembroke	North Middlesex
High school in town	Pembroke High School	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	12.3Lowest	13.1Highest
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.