What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the most homeowners (82%).

Lebanon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).

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	Lebanon
People
Population	9,100Lowest	14,999Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Highest 5% above U.S.	38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average
	Townsend and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%	14.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	21.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Lebanon 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%	57.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Lebanon 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±$23kHighest 51% above U.S.	$98,147±$10kLowest 22% above U.S.
	Townsend and Lebanon 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.	$385,400±$29kLowest 16% above U.S.
	Townsend and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S.	$1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S.
	Lebanon and Townsend 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.	$8,149Highest 161% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	41.9%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Townsend and Lebanon 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%	7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1980Highest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	14 minLowest 47% below U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	#29 of 120 in NH
School district	North Middlesex	Lebanon School District
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Lebanon High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	11.7Lowest
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.