Compare towns
Townsend vs Cornwall 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 youngest population (median age 40.9).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
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 | Cornwall | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
1,208Lowest |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Cornwall 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% |
18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Cornwall 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% |
25.7%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Ashby 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% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Cornwall 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. |
$114,583±$32kLowest 42% 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±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$458,000±$49kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$390,500±$30kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Townsend 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. |
$1,125±$206Lowest 20% 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 | $6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$6,726Highest 116% above U.S. |
$6,034 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall and Townsend 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% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Ashby 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 | — | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | 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 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.