Compare towns
Winchendon vs Royalston vs Ashburnham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchendon has the most renters (23.4% rent).
Royalston has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
Ashburnham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.8%).
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 | Winchendon | Royalston | Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,440Highest |
1,460Lowest |
6,415 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average |
47.8±14.6Highest 20% above MA |
40.7±6.3 about the MA average |
| Royalston and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±10Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.6%±6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Ashburnham and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±4.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Royalston and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
28.5% MA: 47.3% |
44%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ashburnham and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,690±$14kLowest 27% below MA |
$102,109±$8k about the MA average |
$118,809±$11kHighest 14% above MA |
| Ashburnham and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,800±$19kLowest 42% below MA |
$346,300±$18k 38% below MA |
$390,700±$34kHighest 30% below MA |
| Ashburnham and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$163Lowest 29% below MA |
$1,650±$412 6% below MA |
$1,807±$1kHighest about the MA average |
| Ashburnham and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,780 37% below MA |
$3,196Lowest 47% below MA |
$6,046Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±17.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.7%±100 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
6.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1979Lowest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
38 minHighest 32% above MA |
32 minLowest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
10.7%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashburnham and Winchendon 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 | #269 of 282 in MA | — | #178 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Winchendon | Athol-Royalston | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Murdock High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
— | — |
| 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.