Compare towns
Erving vs Ashfield vs Montague
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Erving has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Ashfield has the most people working from home (24%).
Montague has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.7%).
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 | Erving | Ashfield | Montague |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,703Lowest |
1,893 |
8,482Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+1.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±2.4Lowest 8% above MA |
58.6±3.4Highest 47% above MA |
44.3±3.1 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Montague and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52%Highest MA: 47.3% |
37.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Montague and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,656±$9k 25% below MA |
$80,833±$16kHighest 22% below MA |
$70,510±$12kLowest 32% below MA |
| Ashfield and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,800±$20kLowest 52% below MA |
$400,600±$30kHighest 29% below MA |
$282,100±$17k 50% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,163±$213 34% below MA |
$1,100±$200Lowest 38% below MA |
$1,207±$115Highest 31% below MA |
| Montague and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,870Lowest 69% below MA |
$5,197Highest 13% below MA |
$3,922 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.5%±23Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.5%±34 MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Montague and Ashfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.1% MA: 10% |
11.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% MA: 62.5% |
85.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
21 minLowest 28% below MA |
| Work from home | 3.6%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Ashfield and Montague 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 | — | — | #265 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Erving | Mohawk Trail | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Franklin County Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.