What stands out worked out from the figures below

Templeton has the most people working from home (16.9%).

Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Templeton	Townsend
People
Population	8,252Lowest	9,100Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+2.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.3±5.1Lowest about the MA average	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%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4%	21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	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 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%Lowest MA: 47.3%	35.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,154±$15kLowest about the MA average	$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	$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,207±$353Lowest 31% below MA	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA
	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 24% below MA	$6,031Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	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 MA: 10%	8.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	82%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	37 minHighest 27% above MA
Work from home	16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2.8Lowest 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	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	Narragansett	North Middlesex
High school in town	Narragansett Regional High	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.