Compare towns
Plympton vs Pawtucket vs Ashby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plympton has the most expensive homes ($518k median).
Pawtucket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Ashby has the oldest population (median age 50.5).
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 | Plympton | Pawtucket | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,935Lowest |
75,893Highest |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.2 19% above U.S. |
37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±5 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plympton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawtucket and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,736±$20kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$115,598±$9k 43% above U.S. |
| Plympton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $517,800±$52kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$390,500±$30k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $555±$148Lowest 61% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,200±$484 15% below U.S. |
| Pawtucket and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,628Highest 113% above U.S. |
$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$6,034 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±40.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plympton and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plympton 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 | #110 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plympton | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | William E. Tolman High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6 |
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| 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.