Compare towns
Townsend vs Wakefield vs Brookline
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 renters (18% rent).
Wakefield has the most affordable homes ($323k median).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Wakefield | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
5,405Lowest |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
49.4±4.1Highest 27% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Townsend 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% |
26.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline 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±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$100,976±$11kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$322,800±$43kLowest about the U.S. average |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,375±$434Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 93% above U.S. |
$2,954Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Brookline 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% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
36 min 35% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±9.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Wakefield 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 | #118 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Wakefield School District | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.