Compare towns
Holderness vs Townsend vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k 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 | Holderness | Townsend | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
9,100Highest |
2,183 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
42.3±11.2Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Ashland and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashland and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holderness and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45k 34% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60k 9% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 46% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Holderness and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,961 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townsend and Ashland 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Holderness School District | North Middlesex | Ashland School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.