Compare towns
Halifax vs Pembroke vs Suffield 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
Pembroke has the highest household income ($146k).
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Pembroke | Suffield | Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,748 |
18,382Highest |
15,702 |
6,415Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7 8% above U.S. |
45.5±3.3Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
40.7±6.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Pembroke and Suffield 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% |
19.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest 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% |
19.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pembroke 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% |
44.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashburnham and Halifax 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. |
$146,285±$17kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$118,809±$11k 47% above U.S. |
| Pembroke and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $481,500±$51k 45% above U.S. |
$586,500±$28kHighest 76% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$390,700±$34kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,804±$375 28% above U.S. |
$2,464±$753Highest 74% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,807±$1k 28% above U.S. |
| Pembroke and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,840Highest 119% above U.S. |
$6,585 111% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$6,046Lowest 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Suffield 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% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
35 min 31% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pembroke and Suffield 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 | #82 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #178 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Pembroke | Suffield School District | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | None in town | Pembroke High School | Suffield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
10.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.