Compare towns
Halifax vs Plympton vs Ware vs Ashburnham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plympton has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Ashburnham has the youngest population (median age 40.7).
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 | Plympton | Ware | Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,748 |
2,935Lowest |
10,048Highest |
6,415 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
46.4±4.2Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Plympton and Ware 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% |
21.6%±5 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.6%±6Highest 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% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plympton and Ware 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% |
38.4% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| 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±$11k 14% above MA |
$126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$118,809±$11k 14% above MA |
| Plympton 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±$51k 14% below MA |
$517,800±$52kHighest 8% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$390,700±$34k 30% below MA |
| Plympton and Halifax 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 |
$555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,807±$1kHighest about the MA average |
| Ashburnham and Halifax 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 |
$6,628 11% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$6,046 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.8%±40.6 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Ware 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% |
10.3% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% MA: 62.5% |
93.1% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Plympton 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 | #110 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #178 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Plympton | Ware | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | 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.