What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the most people working from home (10.5%).

Hanson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.2%).

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	Hanson
People
Population	9,100Lowest	10,660Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average	42.8±3Highest 7% above MA
	Hanson 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%	21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4%
	Hanson and Townsend 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%	19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Hanson 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 MA: 47.3%	42.6%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	4.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,528±$23kLowest 17% above MA	$132,200±$10kHighest 27% above MA
	Hanson 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±$22kLowest 23% below MA	$533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA	$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA
	Hanson and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Lowest about the MA average	$6,402Highest 7% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Hanson 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 MA: 10%	2.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Lowest MA: 62.5%	89%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 27% above MA	34 minLowest 15% above MA
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6%	7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Townsend and Hanson 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	#149 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	Whitman-Hanson
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Whitman Hanson Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Lowest	14.7Highest
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.