What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).

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	St. Albans
People
Population	9,100Highest	6,954Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Highest 5% above U.S.	38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average
	Townsend and St. Albans 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%	20.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Townsend and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Townsend and St. Albans 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%	31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Townsend and St. Albans 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.	$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S.	$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S.	$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S.
	Townsend and St. Albans 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.	$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	St. Albans and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	12.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	St. Albans 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	#46 of 70 in VT
School district	North Middlesex	Maple Run Unified Union School District #57
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans)
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.