What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).

Lempster has the most affordable homes ($242k median).

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	Lempster
People
Population	9,100Highest	953Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S.	50.8±7.2Highest 31% above U.S.
	Lempster and Townsend 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%	12.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	25.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Lempster 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.	$86,607±$12kLowest 7% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S.	$241,900±$29kLowest 27% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313 4% above U.S.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Highest 93% above U.S.	$4,558Lowest 46% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lempster 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 U.S.: 12.5%	7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minLowest 41% above U.S.	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	—
School district	North Middlesex	Lempster School District
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1	—
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.