Compare towns
Townsend vs Whately vs Holbrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
Whately has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Holbrook has the most expensive homes ($465k median).
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 | Whately | Holbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
1,499Lowest |
11,380Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
42.8±3.2 7% above MA |
| Whately and Holbrook 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% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Holbrook 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 MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Whately and Holbrook 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% |
47.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$116,563±$15k 12% above MA |
$115,210±$14kLowest 11% above MA |
| Townsend and Whately 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 |
$431,500±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$465,400±$21kHighest 17% below MA |
| Holbrook and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,094±$423 38% below MA |
| Townsend and Holbrook 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 |
$5,027Lowest 16% below MA |
$6,105Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.8%±18.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Townsend and Holbrook 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% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 27% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Whately and Holbrook 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 | — | #234 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Whately | Holbrook |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | Holbrook Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.