Compare towns
Townsend vs Barre 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 kids (21% under 18).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Ashby has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Barre | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
8,412 |
3,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashby and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Barre 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. |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below 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. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below 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. |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,200±$484 15% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Ashby 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. |
$5,192Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashby and Townsend 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 | #19 of 70 in VT | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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| 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.