Compare towns
Ashby vs Avon vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the most affordable homes ($391k median).
Avon has the most renters (24.3% rent).
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).
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 | Ashby | Avon | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211Lowest |
4,774 |
5,736Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
37.5±4Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashby and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Avon and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9kLowest 43% above U.S. |
$130,625±$33k 62% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$509,600±$62k 53% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,558±$265 10% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$6,627 112% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.3%±24.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Avon and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Ashby 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | #212 of 282 in MA | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Avon | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Avon Middle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.