Population 3,155 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Townsend
Household size in West Townsend
| Period | West Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.76 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.77 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in West Townsend average 2.77 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here.
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 West Townsend
| Period | West Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.7 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.5 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.9 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.2 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of West Townsend is 43.2 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.7, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 West Townsend
| Period | West Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.6% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in West Townsend: 7.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
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 West Townsend
Renters in West Townsend
| Period | West Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.4% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.8% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 19.8% of households in West Townsend rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About three in ten owners (30.0%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%.
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 West Townsend
| Period | West Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 2.1% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in West Townsend: just 2.1% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market.
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 West Townsend
| Period | West Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1961 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in West Townsend are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1977, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the Boston area overall, where the median home dates to 1964.
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 West Townsend
| Period | West Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $939 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $972 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,288 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,791 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$852 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in West Townsend costs $1,791 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the Boston area overall ($2,051). Rent takes 31.5% of the typical renter's income, just over 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 West Townsend
Bachelor's degrees in West Townsend
| Period | West Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.1% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.4% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.9% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.5% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in West Townsend (33.5%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the wider Boston area (51.9%).
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 West Townsend
| Period | West Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.0% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.5% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.1% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.3% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in West Townsend: 96.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
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 West Townsend
| Period | West Townsend | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.0% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in West Townsend: 10.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. 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).
West 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Townsend | 2.77 | 43.2 | 7.1% | 19.8% | 2.1% | 1977 | $1,791 | 33.5% | 96.3% | 10.0% |
| Townsend | 2.68 | 42.2 | 9.5% | 17.3% | 3.4% | 1974 | $1,917 | 36.9% | 94.3% | 5.5% |
| Ashby | 2.53 | 49.5 | 2.7% | 4.4% | 4.7% | 1970 | $1,235 | 44.3% | 92.2% | 4.7% |
| Townsend Harbor | 2.83 | 42.3 | 6.8% | 8.2% | 3.0% | 1986 | $2,247 | 52.9% | 97.4% | 3.1% |
| Mason | 2.48 | 45.6 | 9.0% | 12.6% | 7.4% | 1983 | $1,830 | 29.6% | 90.2% | 5.0% |
| Lunenburg | 2.52 | 43.4 | 9.5% | 19.7% | 3.7% | 1973 | $1,734 | 44.4% | 95.5% | 5.2% |
| High Bridge | 2.75 | 43.7 | 9.3% | 9.3% | 12.7% | 1988 | $2,530 | 39.5% | 95.3% | 2.7% |
| Fitchburg | 2.48 | 36.8 | 17.0% | 46.0% | 7.1% | 1952 | $1,281 | 24.7% | 86.8% | 6.6% |
| Brookline | 3.14 | 41.4 | 8.2% | 4.8% | 3.3% | 1993 | $2,381 | 57.4% | 97.7% | 0.9% |
| Greenville | 2.48 | 45.5 | 6.7% | 21.9% | 10.4% | 1972 | $1,465 | 21.2% | 87.3% | 6.2% |
| Shirley Center | 2.70 | 46.1 | 11.7% | 20.6% | 7.5% | 1987 | $1,947 | 46.0% | 95.6% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Ashford, CT · Battleboro, NC · Biscayne Park, FL · Culver, OR · Ecru, MS · Ellendale, DE · Ellerbe, NC · Fair Oaks, OK · Hoopa, CA · Troy, PA
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 West 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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