Compare towns
Millbury vs Ashburnham vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Millbury has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Ashburnham has the most homeowners (96%).
Grafton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Millbury | Ashburnham | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,961 |
6,415Lowest |
19,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% MA: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.1Highest 7% above MA |
40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
41.1±1.6 about the MA average |
| Millbury and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.6%±6Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Ashburnham and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±4.5 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Millbury and Ashburnham 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 MA: 47.3% |
44% MA: 47.3% |
55.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,790±$13kLowest 14% above MA |
$118,809±$11k 14% above MA |
$131,484±$11kHighest 26% above MA |
| Grafton and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $450,100±$19k 20% below MA |
$390,700±$34kLowest 30% below MA |
$525,300±$37kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,623±$232 8% below MA |
$1,807±$1kHighest about the MA average |
$1,504±$169Lowest 15% below MA |
| Ashburnham and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,406Lowest 10% below MA |
$6,046 about the MA average |
$7,117Highest 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±12.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.4% MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 10% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.8%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±2.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Grafton and Ashburnham 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 | #202 of 282 in MA | #178 of 282 in MA | #67 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Millbury | Ashburnham-Westminster | Grafton |
| High school in town | Millbury Junior/Senior High | None in town | Grafton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| 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.