What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the oldest population (median age 40.9).

Bellingham has the most people working from home (18.3%).

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	Townsend	Bellingham
People
Population	9,100Lowest	17,410Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+3.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Highest about the MA average	38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA
	Townsend and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.1%±3.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Bellingham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%	14.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Townsend and Bellingham 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 MA: 47.3%	40.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend and Bellingham 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 17% above MA	$125,307±$10kHighest 21% above MA
	Bellingham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA	$450,700±$13kHighest 20% below MA
	Bellingham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA	$1,836±$196Highest 4% above MA
	Bellingham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Highest about the MA average	$5,030Lowest 16% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	62.8%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Bellingham 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 MA: 10%	5.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest MA: 62.5%	78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 27% above MA	36 minLowest 24% above MA
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	18.3%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	#232 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	Bellingham
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Bellingham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	12.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.