Compare towns
Townsend vs Epping vs Exeter vs Freetown
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 affordable homes ($433k median).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Freetown has the highest household income ($144k).
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 | Epping | Exeter | Freetown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100 |
7,430Lowest |
16,151Highest |
9,285 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
40.9±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Epping 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% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Epping 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% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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. |
$104,220±$7kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$143,884±$15kHighest 78% above U.S. |
| 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±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$518,200±$30kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,891±$363Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Freetown and Exeter 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. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,188Lowest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.2%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Exeter 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Exeter 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #161 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Epping School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Freetown-Lakeville |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Epping High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
9.3Lowest |
12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.