Compare towns
Townsend vs Bristol vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($258k median).
Sutton has the most people working from home (14.8%).
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.
| Measure | Townsend | Bristol | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
3,273 |
2,239Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.7±5.7 10% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
24.3%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bristol 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% |
23.2%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bristol and Sutton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Sutton 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 51% above U.S. |
$78,438±$10kLowest about the U.S. average |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$258,300±$63kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,310±$97Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 93% above U.S. |
$4,162Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Bristol 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 | #79 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | North Middlesex | Newfound Area School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Newfound Regional High School | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.5 |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.