Compare towns
Ashby vs Plympton vs Wareham vs Townsend
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).
Plympton has the most expensive homes ($518k median).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Plympton | Wareham | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,211 |
2,935Lowest |
23,302Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 26% above MA |
46.4±4.2 16% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Wareham 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 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Plympton 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 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
38.4% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Townsend 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 |
$126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
| Plympton and Townsend 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 |
$517,800±$52kHighest 8% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484 32% below MA |
$555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
| Wareham and Townsend 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 |
$6,628Highest 11% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.8%±40.6 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham 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% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
93.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest 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 | #110 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Plympton | Wareham | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.6Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.