Compare towns
Townsend vs North Reading vs Lunenburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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%).
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 | North Reading | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Lowest |
15,765Highest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
43±2.8 8% above MA |
43.2±2.1Highest 8% above MA |
| Lunenburg and North Reading 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% |
21.1%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| North Reading and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lunenburg and Townsend 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% |
44% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest 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±$23k 17% above MA |
$147,768±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$112,828±$11kLowest 9% 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 |
$463,900±$24k 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
$1,974±$586 12% above MA |
| North Reading and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Lowest about the MA average |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
$6,401 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5Lowest 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% |
4.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
34 minLowest 15% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | North Reading | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | North Reading High | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
10.1Lowest |
12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.