Compare towns
Goshen vs Upton vs Heath vs Ashfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Goshen has the most homeowners (88.9%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Ashfield has the shortest commute (30 min average).
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 | Goshen | Upton | Heath | Ashfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 915 |
8,189Highest |
765Lowest |
1,893 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
-2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58±5.8 45% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
53.8±11.9 35% above MA |
58.6±3.4Highest 47% above MA |
| Ashfield and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2 MA: 17.9% |
33.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ashfield and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.5% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±3.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Goshen and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,906±$10k 5% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
$80,833±$16kLowest 22% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $351,900±$25k 37% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
$400,600±$30k 29% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $869±$727Lowest 51% below MA |
$948±$599 46% below MA |
— | $1,100±$200Highest 38% below MA |
| Ashfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,022 16% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,438Lowest 26% below MA |
$5,197 13% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±66.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.5%±34Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashfield and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
9.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
88.3% MA: 62.5% |
85.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 3 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.1%±7.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24%±6 MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Ashfield 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Mohawk Trail |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.