The Town FilesTownsend, Massachusetts
Community in Middlesex County · population 1,213 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $344,800
- Household income
- $58,571
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 44.1
Townsend is a community of 1,213 people in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $344,800, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks easier by car than 91% of Massachusetts towns, better for first-time buyers than 80% of Massachusetts towns, better transit than 77% of Massachusetts towns.
How Townsend ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Townsend is worth $344,800, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 5.9 times the median household income of $58,571, which is more affordable than 22% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $918 a month. 53.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Townsend | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $344,800 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $918 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $58,571 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.9× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 53.0% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Townsend
| People | Townsend | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.1 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.4% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.3% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.0% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.2% | — |
| Work from home | 25.5% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 43.9 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.5% | 93.9% |
Weather in Townsend
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 14.6°F. About 49.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 75.4 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Townsend since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 11, 1970 about 0.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 11, 1970.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 30, 1961.
Severe weather in Middlesex County since 1996
Middlesex County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| April 13, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4214: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Middlesex County
Middlesex County had 926,104 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $113,704 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Townsend itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Towns near Townsend
- Townsend, MA0.8 mi · 9,127 people · home $433,200
- Mason, NH5.0 mi · 1,448 people · home $384,000
- Brookline, NH5.3 mi · 5,639 people · home $544,400
- Pepperell, MA5.4 mi · 11,604 people · home $482,100
- Lunenburg, MA5.8 mi · 1,789 people · home $494,800
- Pepperell, MA6.0 mi · 2,390 people · home $457,300
- Ashby, MA6.2 mi · 3,193 people · home $390,500
- Lunenburg, MA6.5 mi · 11,782 people · home $463,900
Townsend questions
Is Townsend, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Townsend scores better for retirees than 28% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 60%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.1).
How much does a house cost in Townsend?
The median owner-occupied home in Townsend is valued at $344,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,571, so homes cost about 5.9 times income. Median rent is $918 a month.
What is the weather like in Townsend?
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 14.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.6 inches of precipitation a year and 75.4 inches of snow.
Does Townsend get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Townsend since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 11, 1970. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)