Compare towns
Halifax vs Mansfield vs Pinehurst vs Ashburnham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mansfield has the most people working from home (20%).
Pinehurst has the highest household income ($146k).
Ashburnham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.8%).
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 | Mansfield | Pinehurst | Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,748 |
23,931Highest |
6,845 |
6,415Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3% MA: +7.4% |
+3.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
41.4±1.3 4% above MA |
42.6±2Highest 7% above MA |
40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Pinehurst 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 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
19.8%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.6%±6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Ashburnham and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±4.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Pinehurst 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% MA: 47.3% |
51.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ashburnham and Mansfield 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 14% above MA |
$125,273±$15k 21% above MA |
$146,250±$27kHighest 41% above MA |
$118,809±$11k 14% above MA |
| Pinehurst and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $481,500±$51k 14% below MA |
$603,500±$28k 7% above MA |
$623,800±$22kHighest 11% above MA |
$390,700±$34kLowest 30% below MA |
| Pinehurst and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,804±$375 about the MA average |
$1,803±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$1,946±$1kHighest 10% above MA |
$1,807±$1k about the MA average |
| Pinehurst and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,840 14% above MA |
$7,226Highest 21% above MA |
$6,316 5% above MA |
$6,046Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
32%±58.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
96% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Mansfield 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 | #60 of 282 in MA | — | #178 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Mansfield | — | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | None in town | Mansfield High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.