Compare towns
Rochester vs Ashburnham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
Ashburnham has the most people working from home (16%).
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 | Rochester | Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 5,837Lowest |
6,415Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±6Highest 16% above MA |
40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Rochester and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.6%±6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Ashburnham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Rochester and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ashburnham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $120,273±$12kHighest 16% above MA |
$118,809±$11kLowest 14% above MA |
| Rochester and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $599,100±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$390,700±$34kLowest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,432±$743Lowest 19% below MA |
$1,807±$1kHighest about the MA average |
| Ashburnham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,530Highest 9% above MA |
$6,046Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1981Lowest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 25% above MA |
32 minLowest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashburnham and Rochester 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 | #104 of 282 in MA | #178 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.