Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Calais vs Dummerston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashburnham has the highest household income ($119k).
Calais has the most renters (7.6% rent).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Calais | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,415Highest |
1,713Lowest |
2,090 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Ashburnham 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 47% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,700±$34kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Ashburnham and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
$1,392±$126Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Ashburnham and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,046 94% above U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Calais 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 | — | — |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.