Compare towns
Ashby vs Townsend vs Williston
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 homeowners (95.5%).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Townsend | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211Lowest |
9,100 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Williston 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%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Williston 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashby and Williston 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% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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 43% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
| Townsend 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 17% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Williston and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Williston and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Williston 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | North Middlesex | North Middlesex | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.