What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ashby has the most affordable homes ($391k median).

Hampstead has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ashby	Hampstead
People
Population	3,211Lowest	9,102Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S.	45.3±6.1Lowest 16% above U.S.
	Ashby and Hampstead 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%	21.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Hampstead 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%	21.8%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Hampstead 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Hampstead 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±$9kHighest 43% above U.S.	$112,348±$18kLowest 39% above U.S.
	Ashby and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$390,500±$30kLowest 17% above U.S.	$521,100±$45kHighest 57% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,299±$149Highest 8% below U.S.
	Hampstead and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,034Lowest 93% above U.S.	$8,634Highest 177% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	44.1%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hampstead and Ashby 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%	3.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	82.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S.	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.	30 minLowest 14% above U.S.
Work from home	17.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hampstead 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	#49 of 120 in NH
School district	North Middlesex	Hampstead School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.