Compare towns
Townsend vs Barnstead 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
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
Barnstead has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7%).
Ashby has the most people working from home (17.8%).
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 | Townsend | Barnstead | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
4,994 |
3,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.8±3.1 10% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashby and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barnstead and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$111,660±$12kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9k 43% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$362,400±$25kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$390,500±$30k 17% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,395±$75 about the U.S. average |
$1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 93% above U.S. |
$6,003Lowest 92% above U.S. |
$6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.6%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 18% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashby and Barnstead 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #111 of 120 in NH | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Barnstead School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.