Compare towns
Townsend vs Worcester vs Ripton vs Brookline
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 most renters (18% rent).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
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 | Ripton | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
831 |
508Lowest |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Worcester 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% |
12.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53% U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
— | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Townsend 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. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton 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% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | — | — | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.