What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).

Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).

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	Webster	Townsend
People
Population	12,228Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA	40.9±3.3Highest about the MA average
	Townsend and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4%	21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Webster and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.1%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%
	Townsend and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	35.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Webster and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA	$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA
	Townsend and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,234Lowest 46% below MA	$6,031Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Townsend and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16%Highest MA: 10%	8.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	37 minHighest 27% above MA
Work from home	7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6%
	Townsend and Webster 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	#271 of 282 in MA	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	—	North Middlesex
High school in town	—	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	—	13.1
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.