Compare towns
Ashby vs Bourne vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Hampden has the most affordable homes ($358k 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 | Ashby | Bourne | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211Lowest |
20,323Highest |
4,946 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Lowest 26% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
50.9±3.3 27% above MA |
| Bourne and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
14%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ashby and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7% MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9kHighest 11% above MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$104,536±$16k about the MA average |
| Ashby and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30k 31% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$358,200±$16kLowest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484 32% below MA |
$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
$1,132±$107Lowest 36% below MA |
| Bourne and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034 about the MA average |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$6,181Highest 3% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.9%±42.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
9.9%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashby and Bourne 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | #199 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Hampden-Wilbraham |
| High school in town | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.