Compare towns
Townsend vs Nelson vs Lunenburg
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).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
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 | Nelson | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
648Lowest |
11,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7 9% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Nelson 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% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Lunenburg 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. |
$99,792±$23kLowest 24% above U.S. |
$112,828±$11k 40% above U.S. |
| 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±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$340,900±$49kLowest about the U.S. average |
$463,900±$24kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,203±$243Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,974±$586Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg 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. |
$5,575Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$6,401Highest 105% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Lunenburg 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
36 min 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 282 in MA | — | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Nelson School District | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 12.4Lowest |
| 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.