Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Halifax vs Springfield vs Westminster
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 most people working from home (16%).
Halifax has the most expensive homes ($482k median).
Springfield has the most renters (50.4% rent).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Springfield | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415Lowest |
7,748 |
154,749Highest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3 about the MA average |
41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
| Westminster and Halifax 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% |
22.2%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Springfield 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% |
18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster 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% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Springfield 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 14% above MA |
$118,556±$11k 14% above MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$106,331±$22k about the MA average |
| 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 30% below MA |
$481,500±$51kHighest 14% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$422,000±$36k 25% below MA |
| Halifax and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1k about the MA average |
$1,804±$375 about the MA average |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Westminster 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 |
$6,840Highest 14% above MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,973 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
2.6% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Ashburnham and Halifax 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Halifax | Springfield | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Springfield Central High | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| 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.