Compare towns
Templeton vs Wakefield 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 affordable homes ($359k median).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Wakefield | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,252Lowest |
27,793Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±5.1Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
| Wakefield 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% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 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% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield 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% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Wakefield 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 |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
| Wakefield and Townsend 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 |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$353Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,554Lowest 24% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±26.1 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest 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% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Templeton 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Narragansett | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Narragansett Regional High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
10.7Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.