Compare towns
Townsend vs Fall River vs Avon 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
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Avon has the youngest population (median age 37.5).
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 | Fall River | Avon | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100 |
94,082Highest |
4,774Lowest |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
37.5±4Lowest 4% 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%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Avon and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Avon and Brookline 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. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$130,625±$33k 62% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$509,600±$62k 53% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,558±$265 10% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Avon 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. |
$3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$6,627 112% 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% |
52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.3%±24.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Avon and Fall River 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% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±3.9 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #212 of 282 in MA | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Avon | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | B M C Durfee High | Avon Middle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.3 |
9.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.