Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Townsend vs Westminster
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%).
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Townsend | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,415Lowest |
9,100Highest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
| Westminster and Townsend 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% |
21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Ashburnham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±4.5 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Ashburnham 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% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ashburnham and Townsend 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 |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$106,331±$22kLowest about the MA average |
| Townsend and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,700±$34kLowest 30% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$422,000±$36k 25% below MA |
| Townsend and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1k about the MA average |
$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Westminster and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,046Highest about the MA average |
$6,031 about the MA average |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Ashburnham and Westminster 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | North Middlesex | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| 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.