Compare towns
Plympton vs Townsend vs Kingston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plympton has the most homeowners (93.1%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Kingston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Plympton | Townsend | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,935Lowest |
9,100 |
14,027Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.2 16% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
46.5±3.9Highest 16% above MA |
| Kingston and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Plympton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.8%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Kingston and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$119,876±$13kLowest 15% above MA |
| Plympton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $517,800±$52k 8% below MA |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$610,600±$30kHighest 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$1,159±$244 34% below MA |
| Townsend and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,628 11% above MA |
$6,031Lowest about the MA average |
$7,650Highest 28% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±40.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
35.9%±13Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Plympton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
81.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.5%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Kingston and Plympton 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 | #110 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #99 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plympton | North Middlesex | Kingston · Silver Lake |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Silver Lake Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
12.0Lowest |
| 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.