What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).

Bourne has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).

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	Bourne
People
Population	9,100Lowest	20,323Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4%	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	46%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Bourne and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA	$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA	$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA	$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA
	Townsend and Bourne 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	$4,485Lowest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Bourne 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%	6.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 27% above MA	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Bourne 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	#206 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	9.8Lowest
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.