Compare towns
Townsend vs Kingston vs Holbrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Kingston has the most people working from home (15.7%).
Holbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Kingston | Holbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
6,275Lowest |
11,380Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
42.8±3.2 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Holbrook 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% |
24.7%±6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kingston and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$105,330±$12kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$115,210±$14k 43% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$492,900±$58kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$465,400±$21k 40% above U.S. |
| Kingston and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,393±$156 about the U.S. average |
$1,094±$423Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$7,906Highest 153% above U.S. |
$6,105 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Holbrook 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% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 41% above U.S. |
34 minLowest 29% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kingston and Holbrook 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 | #78 of 120 in NH | #234 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Sanborn Regional School District | Holbrook |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Sanborn Regional High School | Holbrook Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
12.9Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.