Compare towns
Ashby vs Exeter vs Lanesborough
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 the highest household income ($116k).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Exeter | Lanesborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211 |
16,151Highest |
3,028Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
51.2±4.4Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Lanesborough and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$86,219±$19kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Exeter 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. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$299,400±$36kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,349±$199 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034 93% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,007Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±41.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #75 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Mount Greylock |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.