Compare towns
Townsend vs Colrain vs Freetown
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 people working from home (10.5%).
Colrain has the most affordable homes ($284k median).
Freetown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.8%).
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 | Colrain | Freetown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
1,627Lowest |
9,285Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% MA: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
49.6±8.7Highest 24% above MA |
40.9±3.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Colrain and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Freetown 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 MA: 17.9% |
30.4%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.8%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.3% MA: 47.3% |
40%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Freetown 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 |
$80,673±$10kLowest 22% below MA |
$143,884±$15kHighest 38% above MA |
| Freetown 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±$22k 23% below MA |
$284,300±$14kLowest 49% below MA |
$518,200±$30kHighest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,102±$77Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,891±$363Highest 7% above MA |
| Freetown and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Highest about the MA average |
$4,317Lowest 28% below MA |
$5,188 13% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
46%±22.8 MA: 51.8% |
39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Townsend and Colrain 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% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
32 minLowest 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
7.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Townsend and Colrain 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 | — | #161 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Mohawk Trail | Freetown-Lakeville |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— | — |
| 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.