Compare towns
Ashby vs Bourne vs Lanesborough
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 highest household income ($116k).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Lanesborough has the most affordable homes ($299k 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 | Lanesborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211 |
20,323Highest |
3,028Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Lowest 26% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
51.2±4.4 28% above MA |
| Bourne and Lanesborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±5.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lanesborough and Ashby 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% |
22.2%±5.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Lanesborough 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% |
42.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9kHighest 11% above MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$86,219±$19kLowest 17% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30k 31% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$299,400±$36kLowest 47% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
$1,349±$199 23% below MA |
| Bourne and Lanesborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034Highest about the MA average |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$5,007 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±41.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Lanesborough 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% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
22 minLowest 25% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest 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 | #75 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Mount Greylock |
| High school in town | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
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| 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.