Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Ogunquit vs Ashby vs Fitchburg
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Fitchburg has the most renters (45.9% rent).
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 | Ogunquit | Ashby | Fitchburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415 |
1,379Lowest |
3,211 |
41,798Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3 5% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
36.3±2Lowest 7% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham and Fitchburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fitchburg 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 47% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9k 43% above U.S. |
$73,040±$5kLowest 10% below 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±$34k 17% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$390,500±$30k 17% above U.S. |
$336,400±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
— | $1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,222±$89 14% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Fitchburg 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. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$6,034 93% above U.S. |
$4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.9%±5.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Fitchburg 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
54.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #178 of 282 in MA | — | #200 of 282 in MA | #249 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | — | North Middlesex | Fitchburg · Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.