What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ashby has the most affordable homes ($391k median).

Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ashby	Canton
People
Population	3,211Lowest	24,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+13%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	50.5±3Highest 26% above MA	42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA
Kids under 18	17%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9%	18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Ashby and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%	67.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Canton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$115,598±$9kLowest 11% above MA	$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA	$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA	$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,034Lowest about the MA average	$6,560Highest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Canton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.6%Lowest MA: 10%	5.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA	1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 13% above MA	36 minHighest 23% above MA
Work from home	17.8%±5.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Canton and Ashby 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	#200 of 282 in MA	#81 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton
High school in town	None in town	Canton High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	13.1
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.