Compare towns
Peru vs Townsend vs Worthington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the most affordable homes ($267k median).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Worthington has the most people working from home (28.2%).
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.
| Measure | Peru | Townsend | Worthington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 630Lowest |
9,100Highest |
1,021 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.6±4.8 32% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
61.6±3.6Highest 54% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.8%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Townsend and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
39.5%±5.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Worthington and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,750±$18kLowest 13% below MA |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$91,667±$17k 12% below MA |
| Townsend and Worthington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,400±$15kLowest 52% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$380,400±$26k 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$633±$220Lowest 64% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,805Lowest 36% below MA |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$5,443 9% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
62.5%±63Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Worthington and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 7% above MA |
37 min 27% above MA |
41 minHighest 41% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±12.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | Worthington |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.