Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Topsfield vs Burlington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pinehurst has the most affordable homes ($624k median).
Topsfield has the highest household income ($196k).
Burlington has the most renters (25.8% rent).
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 | Pinehurst | Topsfield | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,845 |
6,564Lowest |
26,274Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2 7% above MA |
42.2±1.8Lowest 6% above MA |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
| Burlington and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
24.8%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Topsfield and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
58.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Pinehurst and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,250±$27kLowest 41% above MA |
$195,718±$16kHighest 88% above MA |
$146,436±$14k 41% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22kLowest 11% above MA |
$853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
$740,600±$35k 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
$1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Burlington and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,316 5% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,165Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Burlington and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.5%Highest MA: 10% |
5.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
90.4% MA: 62.5% |
74.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±8.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Topsfield and Burlington 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 | — | #172 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Topsfield | Burlington |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.3 |
| 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.