Compare towns
Townsend vs Reading vs Freetown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Freetown has the most expensive homes ($518k 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.
| Measure | Townsend | Reading | Freetown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
699Lowest |
9,285Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
40.9±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Reading and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Freetown 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% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Freetown 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 51% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$143,884±$15kHighest 78% above U.S. |
| Freetown 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±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$518,200±$30kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,891±$363Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Freetown 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. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$5,188Lowest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.2%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading 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 | — | #161 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Freetown-Lakeville |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.