What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).

Nottingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).

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	Nottingham
People
Population	9,100Highest	5,357Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Highest 5% above U.S.	38.8±6.7Lowest about the U.S. average
	Townsend and Nottingham 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%	23.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Nottingham and Townsend 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%	18.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Nottingham 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 U.S.: 35.7%	40.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Nottingham and Townsend 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 51% above U.S.	$122,201±$20kHighest 51% above U.S.
	Nottingham 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.	$457,500±$26kHighest 38% above U.S.
	Nottingham 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.	$2,068±$1kHighest 46% above U.S.
	Nottingham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S.	$7,319Highest 135% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	92.1%±44.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Nottingham 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 U.S.: 12.5%	1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	34 minLowest 28% above U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	#15 of 120 in NH
School district	North Middlesex	Nottingham School District
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.