What stands out worked out from the figures below

Winchendon has the youngest population (median age 39.6).

Tolland has the highest household income ($106k).

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	Winchendon	Tolland
People
Population	10,440Highest	540Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average	51.7±7.2Highest 29% above MA
Kids under 18	21.8%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4%	17.8%±5.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Winchendon and Tolland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	22.6%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9%
	Tolland and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	39.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%	2.8%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Winchendon and Tolland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,690±$14kLowest 27% below MA	$106,250±$10kHighest about the MA average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$323,800±$19kLowest 42% below MA	$355,700±$22kHighest 37% below MA
	Tolland and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,255±$163 29% below MA	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,780Highest 37% below MA	$2,714Lowest 55% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	61.7%±17.6Highest MA: 51.8%	0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Winchendon and Tolland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.5%Highest MA: 10%	6.3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	94.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA	1979Lowest 15 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minLowest 11% above MA	38 minHighest 32% above MA
Work from home	11.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.5%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6%
	Tolland and Winchendon 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	#269 of 282 in MA	—
School district	Winchendon	—
High school in town	Murdock High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	6 photos →	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.