What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).

Hadley has the most people working from home (20.1%).

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	Hadley
People
Population	9,100Highest	5,306Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average	45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA
	Hadley and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4%	16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Townsend and Hadley 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%	24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	61.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9%
	Hadley 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±$23kHighest 17% above MA	$119,259±$12kLowest 15% above MA
	Townsend and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA	$511,000±$43kHighest 9% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA	$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA
	Townsend and Hadley 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	$5,271Lowest 12% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8%	38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Townsend and Hadley 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%	6.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest MA: 62.5%	73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 27% above MA	20 minLowest 33% below MA
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	20.1%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6%
	Hadley 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	#116 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	Hadley
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Hopkins Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	7.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.