What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

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	17,748Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average	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	19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Townsend and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Webster and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	35.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Highest 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	$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA	$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,228±$81Lowest 30% 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	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA	$6,031Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±6.7Lowest 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	12.7%Highest MA: 10%	8.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 5% above MA	37 minHighest 27% above MA
Work from home	8%±2.5Lowest 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	Webster	North Middlesex
High school in town	Bartlett High School	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Lowest	13.1Highest
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.