Compare towns
Hampden vs Woonsocket vs Ashby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampden has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Ashby has the most people working from home (17.8%).
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 | Hampden | Woonsocket | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,946 |
43,521Highest |
3,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.9±3.3Highest 31% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
| Hampden and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampden and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,536±$16k 29% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $358,200±$16k 8% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,132±$107Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,200±$484Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Ashby and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,181Highest 98% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$6,034 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.9%±42.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woonsocket and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashby and Hampden 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 | #199 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hampden-Wilbraham | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2 |
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| 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.