Compare towns
Springfield vs Ashby vs Grantham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most renters (9.3% rent).
Ashby has the highest household income ($116k).
Grantham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14%).
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 | Springfield | Ashby | Grantham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,122Lowest |
3,211 |
3,465Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±8.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
50.4±7.5Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Springfield and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Grantham and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashby and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Grantham and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,893±$19kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$106,403±$54k 32% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $384,100±$50k 15% above U.S. |
$390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$343,100±$39kLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$217Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,200±$484Highest 15% below U.S. |
— |
| Ashby and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,946Lowest 91% above U.S. |
$6,034 93% above U.S. |
$7,605Highest 144% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
— |
| Ashby and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
0%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
100%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.7%±11.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashby and Springfield 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 | — | #200 of 282 in MA | #6 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | Grantham School District |
| 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.