Compare towns
Townsend vs Lynn vs Lunenburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Lynn has the most renters (51.9% rent).
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 | Lynn | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Lowest |
101,709Highest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1% MA: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA |
43.2±2.1Highest 8% above MA |
| Lunenburg and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Lynn and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lunenburg 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% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Lynn 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 17% above MA |
$75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA |
$112,828±$11k 9% above MA |
| Townsend and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$510,100±$23kHighest 9% below MA |
$463,900±$24k 17% below MA |
| Lynn and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA |
$1,722±$60 about the MA average |
$1,974±$586Highest 12% above MA |
| Lunenburg and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 about the MA average |
$5,384Lowest 10% below MA |
$6,401Highest 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynn and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
13.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
48.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
32 minLowest 8% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lunenburg and Townsend 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 | #277 of 282 in MA | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Lynn | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Lynn English High | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
15.0Highest |
12.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.