Compare towns
Ashford vs Franklin vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashford has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Franklin has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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.
| Measure | Ashford | Franklin | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,226 |
2,004Lowest |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.9±10.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.3±4.3 4% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Ware and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.2%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Franklin and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,926±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$105,000±$10k 30% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Ashford and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,800±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
$326,200±$20k about the U.S. average |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Ashford and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$208Highest 12% below U.S. |
$767±$529Lowest 46% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Ashford and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,982Highest 124% above U.S. |
$3,934Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47%±26 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.5%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashford and Ware 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 | #90 of 149 in CT | — | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashford School District | Franklin School District | Ware |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.