Compare towns
Lee vs Ashfield vs Washington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ashfield has the most people working from home (24%).
Washington has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Lee | Ashfield | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,719Highest |
1,893 |
526Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6% MA: +7.4% |
-2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.2±5.8Lowest 38% above MA |
58.6±3.4Highest 47% above MA |
56.5±7.7 41% above MA |
| Ashfield and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±5 MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Washington and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±6.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.7%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
35.4%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Washington and Ashfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% MA: 47.3% |
52%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Lee and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,750±$13k 19% below MA |
$80,833±$16kLowest 22% below MA |
$95,278±$12kHighest 8% below MA |
| Washington and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$400,600±$30kHighest 29% below MA |
$370,700±$32k 34% below MA |
| Ashfield and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$212Highest 22% below MA |
$1,100±$200Lowest 38% below MA |
— |
| Lee and Ashfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$5,197Highest 13% below MA |
$4,381 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
62.5%±34Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% MA: 10% |
9.1%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.5% MA: 62.5% |
92.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 38% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
25 min 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.4%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
24%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±10.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashfield and Lee 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Lee | Mohawk Trail | — |
| High school in town | Lee Middle/High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.