Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Randolph vs Gardner vs Halifax
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 people working from home (16%).
Randolph has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Halifax has the most expensive homes ($482k median).
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 | Randolph | Gardner | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415 |
4,843Lowest |
21,148Highest |
7,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3 5% above U.S. |
40.4±7.4Lowest 4% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.9±4.7 8% above U.S. |
| Gardner 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 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Randolph 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $118,809±$11kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$76,758±$6k 5% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$118,556±$11k 47% above U.S. |
| 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 17% above U.S. |
$278,700±$38kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$481,500±$51kHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$1,172±$173 17% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,804±$375 28% above U.S. |
| 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 94% above U.S. |
$4,698 51% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$6,840Highest 119% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.6%±37.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Randolph 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% |
7.7% 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% |
67.2% 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. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #55 of 70 in VT | #273 of 282 in MA | #120 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Gardner | Halifax |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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| 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.