Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Newfane vs Gardner vs Ashby
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).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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 | Newfane | Gardner | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415 |
1,456Lowest |
21,148Highest |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
54.4±3.9Highest 40% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
| Newfane and Ashby 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% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham and Gardner 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% |
29.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newfane and Ashby 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% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashburnham and Gardner 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 47% above U.S. |
$66,719±$21kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$115,598±$9k 43% above U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,700±$34kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$284,200±$49kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$390,500±$30k 17% above U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$1,266±$238 10% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,200±$484 15% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,046Highest 94% above U.S. |
$5,174 66% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$6,034 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.9%±79.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Newfane 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% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.8%±12.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfane and Ashby 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Gardner | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet | 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.