Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Dummerston vs Newfane vs Gardner
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).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Newfane has the oldest population (median age 54.4).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
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 | Dummerston | Newfane | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415 |
2,090 |
1,456Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
54.4±3.9Highest 40% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Newfane and Dummerston 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% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham and Dummerston 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% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newfane and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashburnham and Gardner 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. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$66,719±$21kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below 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. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$284,200±$49kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Dummerston 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. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,266±$238 10% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,046Highest 94% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$5,174 66% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.9%±79.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Newfane 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% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.8%±12.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfane and Dummerston 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 | — | — | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Gardner |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 13.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.