City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

South Ashburnham, MA

South Ashburnham's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

1,174
Residents
$82,006
Median income
$323,400
Median home
$2,261
Median rent (state)
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See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for South Ashburnham.

Place dossier plate

Sheet MA-SOUTH-ASHBURNHAM-MA · South Ashburnham, MA 1,174 pop · income 64th pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-HIGH · COL-ABOVE · SAFE-UNK · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-MID · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 1,174
  • INC-HIGH $82,006
  • COL-ABOVE 105.8
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-UPPER 64th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Hillview
  • HOME-MID $323,400
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Hillview, IL ( $6 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around South Ashburnham

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest South Ashburnham on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for South Ashburnham on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 1,174.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $82,006. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

South Ashburnham - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, South Ashburnham places in the 64th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

64th
percentile, household income
68th
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: South Ashburnham, MA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,174 residents in South Ashburnham, a small town within Massachusetts. Median household income here is $82,006 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.6%. Home values in South Ashburnham run a median of $323,400, and the median resident age is 41.8 years. 13.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 69.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Massachusetts scores 105.8 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,261 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Massachusetts's average monthly utility costs around $330 (state average). Workers in South Ashburnham report an average commute of 25.0 minutes, with 84.4% driving alone and 15.6% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 78.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of South Ashburnham's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from comparison shortlist to housing and income to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For South Ashburnham, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for within-city Census tract profiles, annual population history, local building permits, matched public-school count, FBI reported-crime rates; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

Question 1

Which cities make useful reference points for South Ashburnham?

Within Massachusetts, the closest population matches are Marion Center (1,159 residents, $180,130 income); Granby (1,127 residents, $126,136 income); Green Harbor (1,254 residents, $195,930 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Beale AFB, CA (1,174 residents); Maxwell, CA (1,174 residents); Ashley, IN (1,174 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Question 2

How far does income reach against housing in South Ashburnham?

The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.9 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 11.6%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.

Compare the housing trade-off →

3. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in South Ashburnham?

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. Remote work has a visible role in the local pattern. That can reduce commute exposure for some workers, but it says nothing about job availability or broadband quality; read it alongside income and housing rather than as a stand-alone lifestyle score.

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 84.4%. The reported mean trip to work is 25.0 minutes.

Compare commute patterns →

Population

1,174 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$82,006 /yr

Above median income · poverty 11.6% (Above-median poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

High cost · BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

City profile score · South Ashburnham, MA

35/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Household income C+
$82,006

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Poverty rate F
11.6%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Cost of living F
105.8 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Bachelor's+ share F
13.8%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

South Ashburnham profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Household income, Poverty rate, Cost of living, Bachelor's+ share. Household incomePoverty rateCost of livingBachelor's+ share 35 F
South Ashburnham profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Household income: 61/100 (C+) · $82,006
  • Poverty rate: 33/100 (F) · 11.6%
  • Cost of living: 18/100 (F) · 105.8 index
  • Bachelor's+ share: 17/100 (F) · 13.8%

How does South Ashburnham compare to other US cities?

Where South Ashburnham sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 64% higher than other cities
Home value 68% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares South Ashburnham against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Massachusetts only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Massachusetts-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places South Ashburnham near the bottom of Massachusetts's cities

Among the 247 Massachusetts cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, South Ashburnham ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares South Ashburnham only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#159 of 233
32nd percentile in Massachusetts
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 247
0th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Home Value
#201 of 240
16th percentile in Massachusetts
Poverty Rate
#30 of 247
87th percentile in Massachusetts
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#244 of 247
1st percentile in Massachusetts
How in-state ranks are ordered

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Massachusetts only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

64thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

64th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How South Ashburnham's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$323,400 32nd percentile more affordable than 32% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. South Ashburnham $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

South Ashburnham's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.9×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#10,530 of 15,516
More affordable than 32% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#8,255 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 3.9×, South Ashburnham sits in the moderate band: national rank #10,530 of 15,516 and #8,255 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$82,006 South Ashburnham, MA median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - South Ashburnham, MA South Ashburnham, MA's median household income ($82,006) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not South Ashburnham, MA-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution South Ashburnham, MA median $82,006/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
South Ashburnham, MA median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for South Ashburnham, MA.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 13.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 69.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,174
Median Income
$82,006
Median Home Value
$323,400
Median Age
41.8
Poverty Rate
11.6%
Labor force participation
69.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
13.8%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
25.0 minutes
Drive Alone
84.4%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
15.6%

Based on 666 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Massachusetts statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $330

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Massachusetts at $330 (electricity about $160 , water and sewer about $60 ).

These are Massachusetts statewide averages, not a meter reading for South Ashburnham. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Massachusetts's BEA cost-of-living index is 105.8 (Above Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around South Ashburnham is $2,261/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Massachusetts statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 78.8 / 100 (High).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Massachusetts statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county South Ashburnham sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How South Ashburnham compares to similar-size Massachusetts cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
South Ashburnham (this city) 1,174 $82,006
Marion Center 1,159 $180,130
Granby 1,127 $126,136
Green Harbor 1,254 $195,930
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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