What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).

Tyngsborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).

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	Tyngsborough
People
Population	9,100Lowest	12,550Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Highest about the MA average	39.4±2.9Lowest about the MA average
	Townsend and Tyngsborough 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%	23.6%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Tyngsborough 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%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Townsend and Tyngsborough 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 MA: 47.3%	51.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.1%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Tyngsborough and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,528±$23kLowest 17% above MA	$129,348±$18kHighest 24% above MA
	Tyngsborough 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±$22kLowest 23% below MA	$552,500±$34kHighest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA	$1,986±$404Highest 13% above MA
	Tyngsborough and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Lowest about the MA average	$7,426Highest 24% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	72.2%±22.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Tyngsborough 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 MA: 10%	6.6%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Lowest MA: 62.5%	86.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA	1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 27% above MA	24 minLowest 17% below MA
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	18.6%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Tyngsborough 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	#174 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical · Tyngsborough
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Gr Lowell Regional Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	11.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.