Compare towns
Townsend vs Salisbury vs Mendon
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 kids (21% under 18).
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($307k median).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
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 | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
1,200 |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5 30% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Salisbury 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% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest 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% |
30.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Mendon 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. |
$99,688±$21kLowest 23% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Mendon 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. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
$1,230±$651Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Salisbury 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. |
$4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | North Middlesex | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| 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 | 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.