What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).

Merrimack has the most people working from home (21%).

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	Merrimack
People
Population	9,100Lowest	28,164Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S.	41.5±2.2Highest 7% above U.S.
	Merrimack 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%	22%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Merrimack and Townsend 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%	16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Townsend and Merrimack 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%	50.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S.	$127,219±$16kHighest 58% above U.S.
	Merrimack and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S.	$458,600±$15kHighest 38% above U.S.
	Merrimack and Townsend 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.	$1,932±$147Highest 37% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S.	$7,345Highest 135% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	34.9%±9.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Townsend and Merrimack 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%	3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	#58 of 120 in NH
School district	North Middlesex	Merrimack School District
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Merrimack High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	12.5Lowest
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.