Compare towns
Plympton vs Spencer vs Ashby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plympton has the most expensive homes ($518k median).
Spencer has the most renters (37% rent).
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 | Spencer | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,935Lowest |
12,008Highest |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.2Lowest 16% above MA |
48.9±6.8 22% above MA |
50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
| Ashby and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Plympton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Spencer and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% MA: 47.3% |
29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Spencer 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 22% above MA |
$80,533±$11kLowest 23% below MA |
$115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
| 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 8% below MA |
$382,000±$22kLowest 32% below MA |
$390,500±$30k 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,078±$161 39% below MA |
$1,200±$484Highest 32% below MA |
| Ashby and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,628Highest 11% above MA |
$4,387Lowest 27% below MA |
$6,034 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±40.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Plympton and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% MA: 10% |
11%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% MA: 62.5% |
63%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
15%±7.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #261 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plympton | Spencer-E Brookfield | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | David Prouty High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| 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.