Compare towns
Halifax vs Sutton vs Ashburnham vs Berkley
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).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Ashburnham has the most people working from home (16%).
Berkley has the highest household income ($144k).
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 | Sutton | Ashburnham | Berkley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,748Highest |
2,239Lowest |
6,415 |
6,829 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7 8% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
40.7±6.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43.4±4.1 12% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Berkley 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% |
20.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±5.4 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% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton 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% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.7Lowest 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. |
$130,313±$31k 61% above U.S. |
$118,809±$11k 47% above U.S. |
$144,205±$49kHighest 79% above U.S. |
| Berkley and Sutton 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. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$390,700±$34k 17% above U.S. |
$511,200±$45kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Berkley 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 28% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614Lowest 17% 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. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$6,046 94% above U.S. |
$6,018Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
96% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashburnham and Sutton 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 | #155 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Kearsarge Regional School District | Ashburnham-Westminster | Berkley |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| 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.