What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the most homeowners (82%).

Beverly has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Townsend	Beverly
People
Population	9,100Lowest	42,665Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Highest about the MA average	39±1.8Lowest about the MA average
	Townsend and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4%	18.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Townsend and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	Beverly and Townsend 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%	53.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA	$106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average
	Townsend and Beverly 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	$650,300±$13kHighest 16% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA	$1,771±$106Highest about the MA average
	Beverly and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Lowest about the MA average	$6,836Highest 14% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Beverly and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Lowest MA: 10%	9.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest MA: 62.5%	60.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 27% above MA	30 minLowest 3% above MA
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	#144 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	Beverly
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Beverly High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	12.2Lowest
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.