Compare towns
Townsend vs Thompson 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).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
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 | Thompson | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
9,337Highest |
3,211Lowest |
| 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. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
| Thompson 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% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest 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% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson 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% |
21.9%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% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest 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. |
$93,629±$18kLowest 16% 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±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below 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±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% 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 | $6,031 93% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson 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% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 20% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashby and Thompson 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 | #130 of 149 in CT | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Thompson School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
7.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.