Compare towns
Townsend vs Shirley vs Ashby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
Shirley has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Shirley | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
6,976 |
3,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
44.3±3.4 11% above MA |
50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
| Ashby and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ashby and Shirley 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 MA: 47.3% |
36.7% MA: 47.3% |
43.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley 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±$23k 17% above MA |
$122,365±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$115,598±$9kLowest 11% above MA |
| Shirley and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$427,600±$36k 24% below MA |
$390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA |
| Townsend and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,481±$421Highest 16% below MA |
$1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA |
| Shirley and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 about the MA average |
$5,156Lowest 14% below MA |
$6,034Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
57.1%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Shirley and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
9.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% MA: 62.5% |
77.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 27% above MA |
40 minHighest 39% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Shirley 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 | #239 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Ayer Shirley 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 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.