Compare towns
Plympton vs Whately 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 kids (21.6% under 18).
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Ashby has the most affordable homes ($391k 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.
| Measure | Plympton | Whately | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,935 |
1,499Lowest |
3,211Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.2Lowest 16% above MA |
49.3±6.7 23% above MA |
50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
| Ashby and Whately 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%±3.8Lowest 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% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Whately 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Plympton and Ashby 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 |
$116,563±$15k 12% above MA |
$115,598±$9kLowest 11% above MA |
| Plympton and Whately 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 |
$431,500±$22k 23% below MA |
$390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$977±$125 45% below MA |
$1,200±$484Highest 32% below MA |
| Ashby and Whately 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 |
$5,027Lowest 16% below MA |
$6,034 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±40.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5 MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Whately and Plympton 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 | Whately | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.