Compare towns
Dummerston vs Ashby vs Chesterfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Ashby has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Chesterfield has the most renters (16.4% 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 | Dummerston | Ashby | Chesterfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,090Lowest |
3,211 |
3,622Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7Lowest 17% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
46.8±8.7 20% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±7.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chesterfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashby and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$102,370±$40k 27% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$373,500±$33k 12% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,324±$1k 6% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,034 93% above U.S. |
$6,344Highest 103% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chesterfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Chesterfield 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 | #52 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | North Middlesex | Chesterfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.