Compare towns
Halifax vs Pinehurst vs Ashburnham vs Southampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pinehurst has the most expensive homes ($624k median).
Ashburnham has the most people working from home (16%).
Southampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Pinehurst | Ashburnham | Southampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,748Highest |
6,845 |
6,415 |
6,230Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
42.6±2 7% above MA |
40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
43.4±3.5Highest 9% above MA |
| Southampton and Pinehurst 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% |
19.8%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
22.6%±6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
21.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Southampton and Pinehurst 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% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ashburnham and Pinehurst 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 |
$146,250±$27kHighest 41% above MA |
$118,809±$11k 14% above MA |
$123,125±$23k 18% above MA |
| Pinehurst and Southampton 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 |
$623,800±$22kHighest 11% above MA |
$390,700±$34kLowest 30% below MA |
$452,300±$25k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,804±$375Lowest 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 | $6,840Highest 14% above MA |
$6,316 5% above MA |
$6,046 about the MA average |
$5,470Lowest 9% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
32%±58.1 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±18.4Lowest 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% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% MA: 62.5% |
97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
96% MA: 62.5% |
90.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
16%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashburnham and Halifax 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 | — | #178 of 282 in MA | #205 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | — | Ashburnham-Westminster | Southampton |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.