Compare towns
Nelson vs Ashby vs Roxbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Ashby has the oldest population (median age 50.5).
Roxbury has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Nelson | Ashby | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 648 |
3,211Highest |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.3±11.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
43.2±17.7 11% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±11.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±10.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Nelson and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.4%±15.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Roxbury and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,792±$23k 24% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$69,226±$14kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Ashby and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$49k about the U.S. average |
$390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$323,100±$219kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Ashby and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,203±$243Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
— |
| Nelson and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,575Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,787 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±68.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Nelson and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Nelson 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 | Nelson School District | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.