Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Reading vs Halifax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashburnham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.8%).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Reading | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,415Lowest |
25,612Highest |
7,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
| Reading and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±5.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Ashburnham 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$118,556±$11kLowest 14% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,700±$34kLowest 30% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$481,500±$51k 14% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1k about the MA average |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,804±$375Lowest about the MA average |
| Reading and Ashburnham 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$6,840 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Halifax 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #178 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #120 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Reading | Halifax |
| High school in town | None in town | Reading Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.