Compare towns
Townsend vs Worcester vs Lunenburg
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 highest household income ($122k).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Lunenburg has the most people working from home (15.8%).
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 | Worcester | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Lowest |
207,055Highest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1% MA: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
43.2±2.1Highest 8% above MA |
| Lunenburg 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% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lunenburg and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lunenburg 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% MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$112,828±$11k 9% above MA |
| 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±$22k 23% below MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$463,900±$24kHighest 17% below MA |
| Lunenburg and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$1,974±$586Highest 12% above MA |
| Lunenburg and Worcester 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 |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$6,401Highest 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lunenburg and Worcester 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | South High Community | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
14.6Highest |
12.4Lowest |
| 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.