Compare towns
Halifax vs Ashby vs Whitingham
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 people working from home (29.9%).
Ashby has the highest household income ($116k).
Whitingham has the most affordable homes ($262k 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 | Ashby | Whitingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 847Lowest |
3,211Highest |
1,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
46.4±7.1 19% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±7.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Whitingham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashby and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$70,625±$11k 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,500±$21k 20% below U.S. |
$390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$262,300±$30kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$154 38% below U.S. |
$1,200±$484Highest 15% below U.S. |
$673±$150Lowest 52% below U.S. |
| Ashby and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,991Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,055 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±73.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.7%±47.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitingham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 23% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax and Ashby 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 | — | #200 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Halifax School District | North Middlesex | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.