Compare towns
Sandgate vs Townsend vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Sandgate | Townsend | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 435 |
9,100Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5 39% above U.S. |
| Sandgate and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±11.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.