Compare towns
Townsend vs Williston vs Lunenburg
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 highest household income ($122k).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
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 | Williston | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Lowest |
10,144 |
11,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1 11% above U.S. |
| Williston and Lunenburg 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% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lunenburg 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% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Lunenburg 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% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$112,828±$11k 40% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Lunenburg 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. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$463,900±$24k 39% above U.S. |
| Williston and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,974±$586Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Williston 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. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$6,401Highest 105% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Williston 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% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
36 min 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Lunenburg 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 12.4Lowest |
| 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.