Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Dummerston vs Westminster 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 most people working from home (25.9%).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
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 | Westminster | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415 |
2,090Lowest |
8,374 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
48.3±4.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Westminster 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% |
21.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest 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% |
26%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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% |
45.9% 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% |
1.8%±1.2 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. |
$106,331±$22k 32% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| 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±$34k 17% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$422,000±$36kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1k 28% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,843±$268Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| 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 94% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,973 59% 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% |
60%±27.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest 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% |
87.6% 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. |
1977 3 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%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston 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 | — | #112 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Ashburnham-Westminster | Gardner |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Oakmont Regional High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.6Highest |
13.5Lowest |
| 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.