Compare towns
Townsend vs Killingly vs Freetown vs Lunenburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Killingly has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
Freetown has the highest household income ($144k).
Lunenburg has the most people working from home (15.8%).
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.
| Measure | Townsend | Killingly | Freetown | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100Lowest |
17,867Highest |
9,285 |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.9±3.2 5% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
44%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Killingly 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±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$143,884±$15kHighest 78% above U.S. |
$112,828±$11k 40% above U.S. |
| Freetown 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±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$518,200±$30kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$463,900±$24k 39% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,891±$363 34% above U.S. |
$1,974±$586Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 93% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,188 66% above U.S. |
$6,401Highest 105% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.2%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
36 min 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lunenburg and Killingly 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 | #136 of 149 in CT | #161 of 282 in MA | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Freetown-Lakeville | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Killingly High School | None in town | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— | 12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.