Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Wareham vs Ashby vs Berkley
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 kids (22.6% under 18).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Ashby has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Berkley has the highest household income ($144k).
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 | Wareham | Ashby | Berkley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415 |
23,302Highest |
3,211Lowest |
6,829 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+5.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
50.5±3 26% above MA |
43.4±4.1 9% above MA |
| Wareham 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 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Ashburnham and Berkley 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% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
15.2%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.7% MA: 47.3% |
37.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±2.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $118,809±$11k 14% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
$144,205±$49kHighest 39% above MA |
| Berkley 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±$34k 30% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA |
$511,200±$45kHighest 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1kHighest about the MA average |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA |
— |
| Ashburnham and Wareham 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 |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,034 about the MA average |
$6,018 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Wareham 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% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
2.6% MA: 10% |
2.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
96.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Ashby and Ashburnham 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA | #155 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Wareham | North Middlesex | Berkley |
| High school in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.