Compare towns
Townsend vs Meredith vs Newfields
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 most kids (21% under 18).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Meredith | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
6,758 |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields 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±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 93% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Meredith 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% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields and Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | North Middlesex | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.