Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Gardner vs Needham vs Halifax
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 youngest population (median age 40.7).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
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 | Gardner | Needham | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415Lowest |
21,148 |
32,459Highest |
7,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
| Gardner and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Ashburnham 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% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Halifax 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% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Ashburnham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $118,809±$11k 14% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$118,556±$11k 14% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,700±$34k 30% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$481,500±$51k 14% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1k about the MA average |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,804±$375 about the MA average |
| Needham and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,046 about the MA average |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,840 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #178 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #120 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Gardner | Needham | Halifax |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
11.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.