Compare towns
Townsend vs Bedford vs Amherst
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 most affordable homes ($433k median).
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Bedford | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Lowest |
23,746Highest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Amherst 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% |
20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bedford and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,462±$256Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$9,773 213% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Bedford 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #7 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Bedford School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Bedford High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
13.5Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.