Compare towns
Ashby vs Bourne vs Townsend
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).
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
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 | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211Lowest |
20,323Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 26% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Bourne and Ashby 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% |
21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Townsend and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7% MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
| Townsend and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
| Townsend and Bourne 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 |
$6,031 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Townsend 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% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest 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 | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.