What stands out worked out from the figures below

New Ashford has the most kids (8.6% under 18).

Middlefield has the most affordable homes ($333k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	New Ashford	Middlefield
People
Population	257Lowest	352Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-26.1% MA: +7.4%
Median age	57.1±3.6Highest 43% above MA	56.9±3.7Lowest 42% above MA
	New Ashford and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	8.6%±6.6Highest MA: 19.4%	4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	New Ashford and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	34.2%±8Highest MA: 17.9%	28.7%±8.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	New Ashford and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.6%Highest MA: 47.3%	31.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±6.6Highest MA: 7.9%	2.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
	New Ashford and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,188±$30kLowest about the MA average	$103,750±$23kHighest about the MA average
	Middlefield and New Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$390,700±$50kHighest 30% below MA	$332,800±$48kLowest 41% below MA
	New Ashford and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$960±$113Lowest 46% below MA	$2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,196Lowest 47% below MA	$4,926Highest 18% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8%	100%±100Highest MA: 51.8%
	Middlefield and New Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Lowest MA: 10%	12.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	94.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 5% above MA	30 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	17.1%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6%	13.2%±9.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
	New Ashford and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.