Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Halifax vs Putney 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 most kids (22.6% under 18).
Halifax has the most expensive homes ($482k median).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Halifax | Putney | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415 |
7,748 |
2,622Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3 5% above U.S. |
41.9±4.7 8% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Halifax 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% |
22.2%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham and Halifax 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% |
18.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $118,809±$11kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$118,556±$11k 47% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Halifax 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. |
$481,500±$51kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$1,804±$375 28% above U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Halifax 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. |
$6,840Highest 119% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.6%±37.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Putney 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% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr 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 min 21% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putney 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | #32 of 70 in VT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Halifax | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | 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 | 6 photos → | 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.