Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Westminster 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.8%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Westminster | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,415 |
2,999Lowest |
7,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
41.9±4.7 8% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest 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% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$11kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% 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. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$481,500±$51kHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% 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. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$6,840Highest 119% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.6%±37.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | #53 of 70 in VT | #120 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Halifax |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.