Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Ayer vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashburnham has the highest household income ($119k).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Westminster has the oldest population (median age 48.3).
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.
| Measure | Ashburnham | Ayer | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,415Lowest |
8,645Highest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3 about the MA average |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
| Westminster and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Ashburnham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±4.5 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44% MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ashburnham and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,809±$11kHighest 14% above MA |
$101,875±$15kLowest about the MA average |
$106,331±$22k about the MA average |
| Ashburnham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,700±$34kLowest 30% below MA |
$463,800±$29kHighest 17% below MA |
$422,000±$36k 25% below MA |
| Ayer and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1k about the MA average |
$1,415±$180Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Westminster and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,046Highest about the MA average |
$5,057 16% below MA |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer and Ashburnham 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 | #178 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Ayer Shirley School District | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 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.