What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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	Plainville
People
Population	9,100Lowest	17,551Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S.	44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S.
	Plainville and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%	15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Townsend and Plainville 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%	20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Plainville 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainville 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±$23kHighest 51% above U.S.	$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S.	$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S.	$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S.
	Townsend and Plainville 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.	$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Townsend and Plainville 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%	6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	10.7%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Plainville and Townsend 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	#89 of 149 in CT
School district	North Middlesex	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	11.4Lowest
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.