What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).

Bradford has the most people working from home (18.6%).

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	Bradford
People
Population	9,100Highest	1,565Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S.	50.3±5.2Highest 29% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bradford 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 U.S.: 17.2%	26.3%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	1.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Townsend and Bradford 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 51% above U.S.	$108,015±$21kLowest 34% above U.S.
	Townsend and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S.	$341,700±$38kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S.	$1,507±$206Highest 7% above U.S.
	Bradford and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S.	$6,307Highest 102% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	41.1%±22.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Townsend and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	9.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	32 minLowest 21% above U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.6%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bradford 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	—
School district	North Middlesex	Kearsarge Regional School District
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.