The Town FilesAshby, Massachusetts
Town in Middlesex County · population 3,193 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $390,500
- Household income
- $115,598
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 50.5
Ashby is a town of 3,193 people in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $390,500, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 99% of Massachusetts towns, quieter than 94% of Massachusetts towns, better for families than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
- #1 in The 50 Best Small Towns for Young Families in America
- #1 in The 50 Best Places for Young Families in America
- #1 in The 17 Best Small Towns for Young Families in Massachusetts
- #2 in The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Massachusetts
- #4 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Massachusetts
- #8 in The 19 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Massachusetts
How Ashby ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ashby is worth $390,500, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $115,598, which is more affordable than 93% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,200 a month. 95.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ashby | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $390,500 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,200 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $115,598 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 95.5% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.0% | — |
Who lives in Ashby
| People | Ashby | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.5 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.5% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.7% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.6% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 17.8% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 32.9 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.1% | 93.9% |
Weather in Ashby
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 14.6°F. About 49.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 75.2 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ashby since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 22, 1981 about 9.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 22, 1981.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 4, 2015.
Severe weather in Middlesex County since 1996
Middlesex County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| April 13, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4214: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Middlesex County
Middlesex County had 926,104 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $113,704 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Ashby itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Public schools in Ashby
1 public school with 151 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashby Elementary | K-4 | 151 | 12.6 |
Towns near Ashby
- Ashburnham, MA4.8 mi · 6,315 people · home $390,700
- Fitchburg, MA5.2 mi · 41,946 people · home $336,400
- New Ipswich, NH5.3 mi · 5,204 people · home $392,400
- Townsend, MA6.2 mi · 9,127 people · home $433,200
- Lunenburg, MA8.6 mi · 11,782 people · home $463,900
- Westminster, MA9.2 mi · 8,213 people · home $422,000
- Brookline, NH9.4 mi · 5,639 people · home $544,400
- Gardner, MA10.2 mi · 21,287 people · home $301,600
Ashby questions
Is Ashby, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ashby scores better for retirees than 52% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 94%. 21.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.5).
How much does a house cost in Ashby?
The median owner-occupied home in Ashby is valued at $390,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $115,598, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,200 a month.
What is the weather like in Ashby?
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 14.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.6 inches of precipitation a year and 75.2 inches of snow.
Does Ashby get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ashby since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 22, 1981. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)