Compare towns
Townsend vs Westminster 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 youngest population (median age 40.9).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Westminster | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
2,999Lowest |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
| Westminster 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% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Westminster 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% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Westminster 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. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below 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. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% 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. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% 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. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Westminster 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% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | #53 of 70 in VT | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
10.6Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.