What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).

Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Townsend	Windham
People
Population	9,100Lowest	16,038Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S.	41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S.
	Windham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Windham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Townsend and Windham 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%	62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Townsend and Windham 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.	$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S.	$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S.	$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Lowest 93% 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%	52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windham and Townsend 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%	2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	31 minLowest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 282 in MA	#13 of 120 in NH
School district	North Middlesex	Windham School District
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	12.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.