What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Templeton has the most people working from home (16.9%).

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	Templeton
People
Population	9,100Highest	8,252Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Highest about the MA average	40.3±5.1Lowest about the MA average
	Townsend and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.9%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Templeton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%	14.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Townsend and Templeton 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 MA: 47.3%	26.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend and Templeton 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 17% above MA	$101,154±$15kLowest about the MA average
	Townsend and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA	$358,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA	$1,207±$353Lowest 31% below MA
	Townsend and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Highest about the MA average	$4,554Lowest 24% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8%	44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Townsend and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Lowest MA: 10%	10.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 27% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Templeton 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	#244 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	Narragansett
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Narragansett Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	12.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA 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.