Compare towns
Townsend vs Webster vs Webster vs Pepperell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Pepperell has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Webster | Webster | Pepperell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100Lowest |
12,228 |
17,748Highest |
11,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
42.4±3.3Highest 6% above MA |
| Pepperell and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster 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 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Webster 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 17% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$124,073±$12kHighest 19% above MA |
| Pepperell 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±$22k 23% below MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$482,100±$14kHighest 14% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,295±$238 27% below MA |
| Townsend and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 about the MA average |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
$6,698Highest 12% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Townsend and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | — | Webster | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | — | Bartlett High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 11.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.