Compare towns
Townsend vs Bourne vs Pepperell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Bourne has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
Pepperell has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Bourne | Pepperell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Lowest |
20,323Highest |
11,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
42.4±3.3 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Townsend and Pepperell 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% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$124,073±$12kHighest 19% above MA |
| Pepperell 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 |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$482,100±$14k 14% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,295±$238Lowest 27% 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 | $6,031 about the MA average |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$6,698Highest 12% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1Lowest 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% |
8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Pepperell and Bourne 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 | #153 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.