Compare towns
Ashby vs Lunenburg vs Springfield
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 most people working from home (17.8%).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
Springfield has the oldest population (median age 51.4).
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 | Lunenburg | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211 |
11,902Highest |
1,122Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1Lowest 11% above U.S. |
51.4±8.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Springfield 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% |
21.1%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lunenburg and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashby and Springfield 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% |
44%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lunenburg 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. |
$112,828±$11k 40% above U.S. |
$100,893±$19kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Lunenburg 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. |
$463,900±$24kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$384,100±$50kLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484 15% below U.S. |
$1,974±$586Highest 40% above U.S. |
$1,096±$217Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034 93% above U.S. |
$6,401Highest 105% above U.S. |
$5,946Lowest 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lunenburg 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% |
4.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 25% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashby and Springfield 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 | #87 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | North Middlesex | Lunenburg | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Lunenburg High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.