Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Woonsocket 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%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Gardner has the oldest population (median age 43.7).
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 | Woonsocket | Gardner | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415Lowest |
43,521Highest |
21,148 |
7,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3 5% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below 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%±6 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashburnham and Woonsocket 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. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 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. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$481,500±$51kHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% 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. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$6,840Highest 119% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.6%±37.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Gardner 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% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 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. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #273 of 282 in MA | #120 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Gardner | Halifax |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
13.5Lowest |
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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.