What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).

Bourne has the shortest commute (26 min average).

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	Ashland	Bourne
People
Population	18,873Lowest	20,323Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	18.4%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Ashland and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	46%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Bourne and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$127,539±$11kHighest 23% above MA	$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$611,700±$18kHighest 9% above MA	$575,600±$28kLowest about the MA average
	Ashland and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA	$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,444Highest 24% above MA	$4,485Lowest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.2%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Bourne and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.5%Lowest MA: 10%	6.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	75.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 26% above MA	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	22.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%	14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#42 of 282 in MA	#206 of 282 in MA
School district	Ashland	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Ashland High	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	14.0Highest	9.8Lowest
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.