Compare towns
Townsend vs Central Falls vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Central Falls has the most renters (74.4% rent).
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).
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 | Central Falls | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
22,701Highest |
5,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
41.2±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline 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±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$352,100±$30kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Brookline 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. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Central Falls and Townsend 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% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 282 in MA | #38 of 38 in RI | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Central Falls Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
14.6Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.