Compare towns
Townsend vs Surry vs Brookline 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 renters (18% rent).
Surry has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Ashby has the oldest population (median age 50.5).
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 | Surry | Brookline | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
1,052Lowest |
5,736 |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
44.7±5.1 15% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Townsend 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% |
23.3%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Surry 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% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Surry and Brookline 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 51% above U.S. |
$110,125±$25kLowest 36% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9k 43% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$331,400±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$390,500±$30k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,955±$374 38% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Surry 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. |
$6,384 105% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,034 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±74.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | — | #23 of 120 in NH | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | — | Brookline 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 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.