Compare towns
Templeton vs Lawrence vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Templeton has the most people working from home (16.9%).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
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 | Templeton | Lawrence | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,252Lowest |
88,736Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±5.1 about the MA average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
40.9±3.3Highest about the MA average |
| Townsend and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Townsend and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.9% MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,154±$15k about the MA average |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
| Townsend and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $358,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
| Townsend and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$353Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
| Lawrence and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,554 24% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.6% MA: 10% |
17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Templeton 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 | #244 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Narragansett | Lawrence | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Narragansett Regional High | Lawrence High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
13.6Highest |
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.