What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).

Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).

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.

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

Measure	Townsend	Blackstone
People
Population	9,100Lowest	9,255Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average	43.2±1.7Highest 8% above MA
	Blackstone and Townsend 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%	21.8%±4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Blackstone 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 MA: 17.9%	18.5%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Blackstone 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%Highest MA: 47.3%	31.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA	$94,191±$21kLowest 9% below MA
	Townsend and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA	$404,400±$34kLowest 28% below MA
	Townsend and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA	$1,189±$85Lowest 33% below MA
	Townsend and Blackstone 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	$5,703Lowest 5% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	65%±18.3Highest MA: 51.8%
	Blackstone 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%	8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest MA: 62.5%	73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 27% above MA	34 minLowest 16% above MA
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	17.4%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6%
	Blackstone and Townsend 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	#207 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	Blackstone-Millville
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Blackstone Millville RHS
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Lowest	13.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.