What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).

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	Hermon
People
Population	9,100Highest	6,727Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S.	41.1±4.7Highest 6% above U.S.
	Hermon 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 U.S.: 22%	21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Hermon 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 U.S.: 17.2%	20.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Hermon 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%	37.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Townsend and Hermon 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.	$96,629±$22kLowest 20% above U.S.
	Townsend and Hermon 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.	$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S.	$1,406±$202Lowest about the U.S. average
	Townsend and Hermon 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.	$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Townsend and Hermon 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%	6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Townsend and Hermon 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	#54 of 133 in ME
School district	North Middlesex	Hermon Public Schools
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Hermon High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Lowest	14.6Highest
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.