What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).

Ossipee has the most affordable homes ($326k median).

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	Ossipee
People
Population	9,100Highest	4,521Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S.	50±4.6Highest 29% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%	19.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Townsend and Ossipee 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%	26.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Townsend and Ossipee 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.	$90,521±$22kLowest 12% above U.S.
	Townsend and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S.	$325,500±$23kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S.	$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S.
	Ossipee and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Highest 93% above U.S.	$4,401Lowest 41% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ossipee 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%	8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82% U.S.: 65.2%	82% U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	33 minLowest 27% above U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Townsend and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	#100 of 120 in NH
School district	North Middlesex	Governor Wentworth Regional 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 History	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.