Compare towns
Shelburne vs Upton vs Ashfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shelburne has the most renters (32.2% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Ashfield has the most people working from home (24%).
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 | Shelburne | Upton | Ashfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,567Lowest |
8,189Highest |
1,893 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57±7.3 43% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
58.6±3.4Highest 47% above MA |
| Ashfield and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.5%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.7%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Shelburne and Ashfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Shelburne and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,000±$4k 20% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$80,833±$16kLowest 22% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $405,400±$32k 28% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$400,600±$30kLowest 29% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$105 39% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,100±$200Highest 38% below MA |
| Ashfield and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,595Lowest 23% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,197 13% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±7.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
62.5%±34Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.7%±6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
24%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashfield and Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mohawk Trail |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.