Compare towns
Townsend vs Salisbury vs Springfield
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 youngest population (median age 40.9).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
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.
| Measure | Townsend | Salisbury | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
1,609 |
1,122Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
51.4±8.8 32% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Springfield 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% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Salisbury 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% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Springfield 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% |
37.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Salisbury 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. |
$111,591±$17k 38% above U.S. |
$100,893±$19kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Salisbury 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. |
$363,400±$47kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$384,100±$50k 15% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,096±$217Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Salisbury 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. |
$5,859Lowest 88% above U.S. |
$5,946 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.9%±64.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Springfield 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% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 21% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Springfield 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 | — | — |
| School district | North Middlesex | Merrimack Valley 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 | 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.