Compare towns
Halifax vs Lee vs Ashburnham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has the most renters (4.5% rent).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Ashburnham has the most affordable homes ($391k 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 | Halifax | Lee | Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,748Highest |
4,576Lowest |
6,415 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7 8% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9Highest 10% above U.S. |
40.7±6.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Lee and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashburnham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,556±$11kLowest 47% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$118,809±$11k 47% above U.S. |
| Lee and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $481,500±$51kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
$390,700±$34kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Halifax and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,804±$375Lowest 28% above U.S. |
— | $1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,840 119% above U.S. |
$9,661Highest 210% above U.S. |
$6,046Lowest 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Ashburnham 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | #3 of 120 in NH | #178 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Oyster River Coop School District | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.