Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Halifax vs Ware vs Gardner
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).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 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 | Ware | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415Lowest |
7,748 |
10,048 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Gardner and Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest 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%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 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±$11kHighest 14% above MA |
$118,556±$11k 14% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
| 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 |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1kHighest about the MA average |
$1,804±$375 about the MA average |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% 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 | $6,046 about the MA average |
$6,840Highest 14% above MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Ware 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Halifax | Ware | Gardner |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| 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.