Compare towns
Townsend vs Fall River vs Douglas vs Pepperell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Pepperell has the most expensive homes ($482k median).
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 | Douglas | Pepperell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100Lowest |
94,082Highest |
9,207 |
11,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
42.4±3.3 6% above MA |
| Douglas and Pepperell 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% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Pepperell 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% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Pepperell and Douglas 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 |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$124,073±$12k 19% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
$482,100±$14kHighest 14% below MA |
| Pepperell and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,295±$238 27% below MA |
| Douglas and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 about the MA average |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$6,698Highest 12% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Douglas and Pepperell 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Douglas | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | B M C Durfee High | Douglas High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.3 |
7.2Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.