Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Halifax vs Sutton
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 affordable homes ($391k median).
Halifax has the oldest housing (typical home built 1979).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,415Lowest |
7,748 |
9,452Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Sutton 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 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44% MA: 47.3% |
36.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ashburnham and Halifax 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 |
$118,556±$11kLowest 14% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,700±$34kLowest 30% below MA |
$481,500±$51k 14% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Sutton and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1kHighest about the MA average |
$1,804±$375 about the MA average |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Ashburnham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,046Lowest about the MA average |
$6,840Highest 14% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1979Lowest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Halifax | Sutton |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.