Compare towns
Ashland vs Bennington vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Bennington has the most people working from home (14.7%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
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 | Ashland | Bennington | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183 |
1,588Lowest |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Highest 9% above U.S. |
42.1±7.8 8% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Ashland and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$83,875±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$267,300±$15k 20% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,292±$150 9% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$5,944 91% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±20.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 min 40% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Townsend 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 | — | — | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashland School District | Contoocook Valley School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| 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.