Compare towns
Townsend vs Manchester 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).
Manchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Manchester | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
115,643Highest |
3,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1 U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashby and Townsend 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% |
34%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% |
6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Manchester 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. |
$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$365,600±$7kLowest 10% 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±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,564±$37Highest 11% above U.S. |
$1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Manchester and Townsend 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. |
$5,922Lowest 90% above U.S. |
$6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Manchester 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% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashby and Manchester 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 | #115 of 120 in NH | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
14.3Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.