What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).

New Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).

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	New Bedford
People
Population	9,100Lowest	100,998Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Highest about the MA average	37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA
	Townsend and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	New Bedford 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 MA: 17.9%	15.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Townsend and New Bedford 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 MA: 47.3%	17%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend and New Bedford 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 17% above MA	$56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA	$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA	$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA
	Townsend and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Highest about the MA average	$4,338Lowest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.6%±3.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	New Bedford and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Lowest MA: 10%	20.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest MA: 62.5%	40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 27% above MA	25 minLowest 15% below MA
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6%	5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	#263 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	New Bedford High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA 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.