What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the most homeowners (82%).

Manchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).

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	Manchester
People
Population	9,100Lowest	115,643Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Highest 5% above U.S.	38±1Lowest about the U.S. average
	Townsend and Manchester 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%	18%±1Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Townsend and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Townsend and Manchester 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%	34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Manchester 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.	$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S.	$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S.	$1,564±$37Highest 11% above U.S.
	Manchester and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Highest 93% above U.S.	$5,922Lowest 90% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	50%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Townsend and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	14.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Manchester 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	#115 of 120 in NH
School district	North Middlesex	Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Manchester Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Lowest	14.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	6 photos →

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.