What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).

Glocester has the most people working from home (13.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Townsend	Glocester
People
Population	9,100Lowest	10,221Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3% U.S.: +7.4%	+2.3% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S.	50.8±4.3Highest 31% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%	19.8%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Townsend and Glocester 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%	22.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Glocester 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	35.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Townsend and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S.	$113,508±$7kLowest 41% above U.S.
	Townsend and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S.	$396,500±$28kLowest 19% above U.S.
	Townsend and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S.	$1,417±$627Lowest about the U.S. average
	Townsend and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Highest 93% above U.S.	$5,248Lowest 68% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	64.5%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Glocester and Townsend 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%	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	91%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	34 minLowest 30% above U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Glocester 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	#12 of 38 in RI
School district	North Middlesex	Foster-Glocester · Glocester
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Ponaganset High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	12.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.