Compare towns
Townsend vs Freetown vs Charlton
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 renters (18% rent).
Freetown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.8%).
Charlton has the most people working from home (13%).
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 | Freetown | Charlton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Lowest |
9,285 |
13,435Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
40.9±3.2Lowest about the MA average |
43±4Highest 8% above MA |
| Charlton 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 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
24.7%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Charlton and Freetown 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% |
17.8%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
18%±2.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Charlton and Freetown 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 MA: 47.3% |
40%Highest MA: 47.3% |
37.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Charlton 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 17% above MA |
$143,884±$15kHighest 38% above MA |
$117,587±$8kLowest 13% 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 |
$518,200±$30kHighest 8% below MA |
$427,500±$19kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,891±$363Highest 7% above MA |
$1,381±$415Lowest 22% below 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 |
$5,188 13% below MA |
$4,617Lowest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.3%±9.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Townsend and Charlton 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% |
3.1% MA: 10% |
2.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
32 minLowest 11% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Charlton and Townsend 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 | #133 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Freetown-Lakeville | Dudley-Charlton Reg · Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School Distric |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 9.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.