Compare towns
Townsend vs Mason vs Milford
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 highest household income ($122k).
Mason has the most people working from home (20.7%).
Milford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Mason | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
1,451Lowest |
16,337Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
36.8±2.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Mason 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 U.S.: 22% |
28.8%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Mason and Milford 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% |
15.6%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Townsend and Mason 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% |
39.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Milford 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. |
$111,090±$3k 38% above U.S. |
$97,768±$14kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Mason 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. |
$384,000±$21kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$398,800±$20k 20% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Milford 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. |
$2,530±$852Highest 79% above U.S. |
$1,661±$126 18% above U.S. |
| Mason and Milford 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. |
$7,049 126% above U.S. |
$7,522Highest 141% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
87.2%±42.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mason 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 41% above U.S. |
41 minHighest 55% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.7%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mason and Milford 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 | — | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Mason School District | Milford School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.