Compare towns
Ashby vs Everett vs Plympton vs Lunenburg
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 affordable homes ($391k median).
Everett has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Plympton has the highest household income ($127k).
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 | Everett | Plympton | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,211 |
50,045Highest |
2,935Lowest |
11,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
46.4±4.2 16% above MA |
43.2±2.1 8% above MA |
| Ashby and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±5 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Everett and Plympton 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% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Plympton and Ashby 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% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
38.4% MA: 47.3% |
44%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Lunenburg 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 |
$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
$126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$112,828±$11k 9% above MA |
| Plympton 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 |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$517,800±$52k 8% below MA |
$463,900±$24k 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484 32% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,974±$586 12% above MA |
| Everett and Lunenburg 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 |
$4,880Lowest 19% below MA |
$6,628Highest 11% above MA |
$6,401 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.8%±40.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Plympton 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% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
10.3% MA: 10% |
4.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.1% MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Plympton 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 | #264 of 282 in MA | #110 of 282 in MA | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Everett | Plympton | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | None in town | Everett High | None in town | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.