What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Canterbury has the most people working from home (21.6%).

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	Canterbury
People
Population	9,100Highest	2,353Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S.	48.6±3.8Highest 25% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%	17.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Townsend and Canterbury 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%	22.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.8%±3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Canterbury 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±$23kLowest 51% above U.S.	$129,333±$37kHighest 60% above U.S.
	Canterbury 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 30% above U.S.	$443,700±$21kHighest 33% above U.S.
	Canterbury and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S.	$2,136±$233Highest 51% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S.	$7,421Highest 138% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	71.7%±48.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Canterbury 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 U.S.: 12.5%	5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	33 minLowest 23% above U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	—
School district	North Middlesex	Shaker 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.