What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).

North Reading has the most people working from home (26.1%).

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	North Reading
People
Population	9,100Lowest	15,765Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average	43±2.8Highest 8% above MA
	North Reading 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 MA: 19.4%	22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	North Reading 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%	16.7%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Townsend and North Reading 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 MA: 47.3%	56.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,528±$23kLowest 17% above MA	$147,768±$25kHighest 42% above MA
	North Reading 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 23% below MA	$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA	$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Lowest about the MA average	$9,693Highest 62% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	North Reading 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 MA: 10%	2.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Lowest MA: 62.5%	84.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 27% above MA	34 minLowest 15% above MA
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	#33 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	North Reading
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	North Reading High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	10.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.