What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).

Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).

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	Harvard
People
Population	9,100Highest	6,927Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average	44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA
	Harvard 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%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Harvard and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%	16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Townsend and Harvard 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%	62%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend and Harvard 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	$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA	$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA	$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA
	Townsend and Harvard 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	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Harvard 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%	4.5%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Lowest MA: 62.5%	89.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 27% above MA	32 minLowest 9% above MA
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	#12 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	Harvard
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	The Bromfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	11.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	12 photos →

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.