Compare towns
Townsend vs Arlington vs Holbrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Holbrook has the most expensive homes ($465k 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 | Townsend | Arlington | Holbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
2,598Lowest |
11,380Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
37.6±4Lowest 3% below U.S. |
42.8±3.2Highest 10% above U.S. |
| Holbrook and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Holbrook and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Arlington and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$102,308±$11kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$115,210±$14k 43% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$318,500±$59kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$465,400±$21kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Holbrook and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,191±$172 16% below U.S. |
$1,094±$423Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 93% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,105Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
77.1%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±18.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 41% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 282 in MA | #50 of 70 in VT | #234 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Arlington School District | Holbrook |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Arlington Memorial | Holbrook Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
10.6Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| 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.