Compare towns
Townsend vs Upton vs Lyme
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 affordable homes ($433k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Upton | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
8,189 |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Townsend 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Upton 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% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Lyme 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 51% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
| Townsend and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Upton 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 282 in MA | — |
| School district | North Middlesex | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— |
| 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.