Compare towns
Ashby vs Cornish vs Dummerston vs Townsend
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
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 | Cornish | Dummerston | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,211 |
1,816Lowest |
2,090 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Cornish 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 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Dummerston 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% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Ashby 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 43% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| 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±$30k 17% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Ashby 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. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston 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 | — | — | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Cornish School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 13.1 |
| 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.