Compare towns
Cornish vs Ashby vs Lyndeborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Ashby has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Lyndeborough has the most renters (7.6% rent).
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 | Cornish | Ashby | Lyndeborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
3,211Highest |
1,616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
50±3.2Lowest 29% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Ashby and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lyndeborough and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9k 43% above U.S. |
$116,964±$17kHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Lyndeborough and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$390,500±$30k 17% above U.S. |
$390,900±$26kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Lyndeborough and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,482±$457Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Lyndeborough and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 86% above U.S. |
$6,034 93% above U.S. |
$7,133Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±90Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyndeborough and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashby and Lyndeborough 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 | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | North Middlesex | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.