Compare towns
Templeton vs Plainville vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Templeton has the most people working from home (16.9%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
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 | Plainville | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,252Lowest |
17,551Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±5.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Templeton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville 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 25% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| 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±$12k 8% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$353 15% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,554Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±26.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Templeton and Plainville 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Narragansett | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Narragansett Regional High | Plainville High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
11.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.