Compare towns
Ashby vs Upton vs Wareham vs Ashburnham
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).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Wareham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Ashburnham has the youngest population (median age 40.7).
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 | Upton | Wareham | Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,211Lowest |
8,189 |
23,302Highest |
6,415 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 26% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
40.7±6.3Lowest 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.6%±6 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Ashburnham 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham 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% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$118,809±$11k 14% above MA |
| Upton and Ashburnham 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 |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$390,700±$34k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,807±$1kHighest about the MA average |
| Ashburnham and Wareham 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,046 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Upton 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest 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 |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #178 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wareham | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
8.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.