Compare towns
Templeton vs Townsend vs Royalston
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%).
Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
Royalston has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Townsend | Royalston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,252 |
9,100Highest |
1,460Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±5.1Lowest about the MA average |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
47.8±14.6Highest 20% above MA |
| Royalston 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 MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±10 MA: 19.4% |
| Templeton and Royalston 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%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Royalston 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 MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
28.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Royalston 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±$15kLowest about the MA average |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$102,109±$8k about the MA average |
| Townsend and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $358,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$346,300±$18kLowest 38% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$353Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,650±$412Highest 6% below MA |
| Royalston 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 |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$3,196Lowest 47% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
85.7%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Royalston 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% |
8.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3% MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 min 27% above MA |
38 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.7%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Templeton and Royalston 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 | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Narragansett Regional High | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.