The Town FilesAshfield, Massachusetts
Town in Franklin County · population 1,695 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $400,600
- Household income
- $80,833
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 85 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 58.6
Ashfield is a town of 1,695 people in Franklin County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $400,600, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks quieter than 99% of Massachusetts towns, better for retirees than 98% of Massachusetts towns, better for cycling than 93% of Massachusetts towns.
How Ashfield 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 Ashfield is worth $400,600, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $80,833, which is more affordable than 39% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,100 a month. 85.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ashfield | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $400,600 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,100 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $80,833 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 85.5% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.9% | — |
Who lives in Ashfield
| People | Ashfield | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.6 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 33.7% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 12.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.0% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.1% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.3% | — |
| Work from home | 24.0% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.2% | 93.9% |
Weather in Ashfield
July highs average 79.6°F and January lows 11.9°F. About 54.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 85.3 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ashfield since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on February 25, 2017 about 3.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 25, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on June 1, 2011.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| April 19, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4110: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3350: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 25,435 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,261 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Ashfield itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Ashfield
1 public school with 138 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanderson Academy | PK-6 | 138 | 13.8 |
Towns near Ashfield
- Buckland, MA5.0 mi · 1,816 people · home $321,400
- Conway, MA5.1 mi · 1,761 people · home $395,900
- Goshen, MA5.7 mi · 960 people · home $351,900
- Plainfield, MA5.8 mi · 633 people · home $309,000
- Shelburne Falls, MA6.8 mi · 1,719 people · home $314,500
- Cummington, MA6.9 mi · 829 people · home $300,600
- Charlemont, MA8.2 mi · 1,185 people · home $305,500
- Williamsburg, MA8.9 mi · 2,504 people · home $403,100
Ashfield questions
Is Ashfield, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ashfield scores better for retirees than 98% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 99%. 33.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.6).
How much does a house cost in Ashfield?
The median owner-occupied home in Ashfield is valued at $400,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,833, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $1,100 a month.
What is the weather like in Ashfield?
July highs average 79.6°F and January lows 11.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 54.1 inches of precipitation a year and 85.3 inches of snow.
Does Ashfield get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ashfield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on February 25, 2017. 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)