From dirt roads to happy New England homes
Ashby is full of farmland and nature preserves located directly south of the New Hampshire border. The neighborhood has spacious lots surrounded by thick trees that turn bright colors in the fall and well-rated schools just a short drive away. The town's central location along State Route 119 makes it an option for commuters favoring a rural way of life. “When I was growing up, there were dirt roads everywhere. Even the main road was dirt,” says Lana Kopsala, a sales associate with Coldwell Banker Homes in Leominster since 2002 and an Ashby native. “But now they have great roads that they maintain. They do a great job, and my clients are happy moving there. They think it’s quiet.”
Hiking in wildlife management areas and forests
Hikers can get lost in the massive Ashby Wildlife Management Area, a hilly area split between marshes to the north and dense forests to the south surrounded by towering maple trees. The trails are also home to a number of animals like coyotes and the occasional moose. The Willard Brook State Forest on the east side of town spans almost 2,600 acres and includes nature trails, campgrounds and a serene waterfall called Trap Falls. Equestrians will love Ashby Stock Farm, a training and boarding center that has been a part of the community since 1987. “If you’re an outdoor person, you’re going to love Ashby,” Kopsala says.
Farm colonials on large acreages
Many houses available in Ashby have several acres, which can be a great spot for a farm or equestrian facility. Some homes were constructed as early as the 1700s, with many homes taking on a colonial-inspired design. Many of the newer dwellings in the neighborhood have a ranch-style or split-level design, with home prices ranging from $300,000 to around $800,000. The town has a homey feel, where it feels like family, Kopsala says. “There’s a significant number of people who have been in Ashby generation after generation,” she says. “People have not moved out of Ashby. If family members move, they tend to return because they miss the quiet feel and slow pace.”
Route 119 cutting through town
Located along Route 119 and State Route 31, Ashby is a popular home base for remote workers and commuters to New Hampshire. While the town might be less walkable with everything so spread out, there are still plenty of spots to exercise at the nature preserves around the neighborhood. UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Hospital’s Leominster Campus is 11 miles south of the neighborhood, and the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport is 34 miles to the north.
Shared schools of Ashby, Pepperell and Townsend
Ashby is part of the Northeast Middlesex Regional School District, which serves the towns of Ashby, Pepperell and Townsend. Children in Ashby attend Ashby Elementary School, a tight-knit school community with a B-minus rating from Niche. In 2023, Ashby Elementary was recognized as one of the 66 strongest performing schools in the state by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Ashby shares Hawthorne Brook Middle School with Townsend, and all three towns in the school district share North Middlesex Regional High School. Both the middle and high schools receive a B rating. “When the kids start school, they grow up together,” Kopsala says. “I have great memories and lasting relationships that stemmed from Ashby.”
873 Café & Smith Hill Tavern
Although part of the appeal of Ashby is that it has little commercial activity, it does have one restaurant. 873 Café & Smith Hill Tavern serves local comfort foods with ingredients sourced from nearby farms, like burgers, wings, and pizza, as well as dishes with a personal touch, like their steak tips or shrimp scampi. The tavern also hosts a lot of the functions in town, from live music performances to wedding receptions and business meetings. For stocking up the pantry at home, the Market Basket in Fitchburg is 8 miles away, and tenants like Walmart and GameStop are in the Lunenburg shopping plaza 9 miles away. Townsend, about 7 miles east of Ashby, has doughnut and ice cream shops, pizzerias and multiple popular chain restaurants.
Events in the Ashby Common
Even with Ashby's spread-out style, community events have become hallmarks of the town. Fourth of July fireworks can be seen lighting up the night sky, and bands from all over central Massachusetts perform concerts on the common every Wednesday in the summer in the centrally located Ashby Common.
Photography Contributed By
Matt Barrett
