Population 5,693 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Townsend
Household size in Townsend
| Period | Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.89 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.85 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.76 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.68 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.21 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.68 people per household, Townsend sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the wider Boston area, where it has 2.55 people. Household size has dropped from 2.89 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Townsend
| Period | Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.4 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.0 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.8 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.2 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.9 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Townsend skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.2, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.4, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the southeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Townsend
| Period | Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.5% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Townsend (9.5%), below the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across the Boston area. The single-parent share has risen 2.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Townsend
Renters in Townsend
| Period | Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.0% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.4% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.6% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.3% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Townsend is largely a place of homeowners: only 17.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 34.4% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 2.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Townsend
| Period | Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Townsend: just 3.4% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has fallen 4.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Townsend has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Massachusetts cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Townsend
| Period | Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Townsend run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1974 against 1980. Locally, though, homes here are newer than in the wider Boston area, where the median home dates to 1964. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the northwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Townsend
| Period | Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $819 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $955 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,038 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,917 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,098 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Townsend pays $1,917 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the wider Boston area ($2,051). Rents are up $1,098 a month from 2006–10, a 134% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 24.3% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Townsend
Bachelor's degrees in Townsend
| Period | Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.2% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.6% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.1% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.9% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.7 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a third of adults 25 and older in Townsend (36.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Boston area overall (51.9%). The share with a degree is up 8.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Townsend
| Period | Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.0% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.1% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.0% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Townsend: 94.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is little changed from 2006–10, while the national rate rose.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Townsend
| Period | Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.7% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Townsend is close to the national rate: 5.5% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Townsend compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Townsend | 2.68 | 42.2 | 9.5% | 17.3% | 3.4% | 1974 | $1,917 | 36.9% | 94.3% | 5.5% |
| Townsend Harbor | 2.83 | 42.3 | 6.8% | 8.2% | 3.0% | 1986 | $2,247 | 52.9% | 97.4% | 3.1% |
| West Townsend | 2.77 | 43.2 | 7.1% | 19.8% | 2.1% | 1977 | $1,791 | 33.5% | 96.3% | 10.0% |
| Pepperell | 2.75 | 44.6 | 7.9% | 15.3% | 5.2% | 1981 | $1,466 | 44.3% | 97.0% | 3.7% |
| Lunenburg | 2.52 | 43.4 | 9.5% | 19.7% | 3.7% | 1973 | $1,734 | 44.4% | 95.5% | 5.2% |
| Shirley Center | 2.70 | 46.1 | 11.7% | 20.6% | 7.5% | 1987 | $1,947 | 46.0% | 95.6% | 5.8% |
| Brookline | 3.14 | 41.4 | 8.2% | 4.8% | 3.3% | 1993 | $2,381 | 57.4% | 97.7% | 0.9% |
| Mason | 2.48 | 45.6 | 9.0% | 12.6% | 7.4% | 1983 | $1,830 | 29.6% | 90.2% | 5.0% |
| Ashby | 2.53 | 49.5 | 2.7% | 4.4% | 4.7% | 1970 | $1,235 | 44.3% | 92.2% | 4.7% |
| High Bridge | 2.75 | 43.7 | 9.3% | 9.3% | 12.7% | 1988 | $2,530 | 39.5% | 95.3% | 2.7% |
| Groton | 2.94 | 42.5 | 6.6% | 11.7% | 3.7% | 1987 | $1,481 | 70.2% | 97.4% | 5.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Melrose, MN · Quincy, MI · Quantico Base, VA · Purchase, NY · Pulaski, NY · Pryor Creek, OK · Progreso, TX · Priest River, ID · Minden, NV · Merlin, OR
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Townsend. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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