Compare towns
Plympton vs Surry 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).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
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 | Surry | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,935 |
1,052Lowest |
3,211Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.2 19% above U.S. |
44.7±5.1Lowest 15% above 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%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plympton and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Surry 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%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% |
6.6%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Surry 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. |
$110,125±$25kLowest 36% above 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. |
$331,400±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$390,500±$30k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $555±$148Lowest 61% below U.S. |
$1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,200±$484 15% below U.S. |
| Surry 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. |
$6,384 105% above U.S. |
$6,034Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±40.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plympton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.1Lowest 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 | — | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plympton | — | 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.