Compare towns
Townsend vs Mount Tabor 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).
Mount Tabor has the oldest population (median age 57.8).
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 | Mount Tabor | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
304Lowest |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
57.8±10.6Highest 49% above U.S. |
50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
| Mount Tabor and Ashby 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% |
10.2%±6.1Lowest 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% |
42.4%±18.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Tabor 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Ashby 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. |
— | $115,598±$9kLowest 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. |
$420,500±$76k 26% above U.S. |
$390,500±$30kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Mount Tabor 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. |
$2,143±$367Highest 52% above U.S. |
$1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Mount Tabor 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. |
$5,233Lowest 68% above U.S. |
$6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 41% above U.S. |
46 minHighest 72% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±8.7Lowest 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 | — | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | — | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | — | 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.