What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ashland has the most affordable homes ($612k median).

Canton has the most kids (22.9% under 18).

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	Canton
People
Population	18,873Lowest	24,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+13%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA	42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA
	Canton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Canton and Ashland 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%	18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Canton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%	67.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Canton 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±$11kLowest 23% above MA	$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA
	Canton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$611,700±$18kLowest 9% above MA	$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA	$2,315±$178Lowest 31% above MA
	Ashland and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,444Highest 24% above MA	$6,560Lowest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%	52.4%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Ashland and Canton 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%	5.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA	1980Lowest 16 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 26% above MA	36 minLowest 23% above MA
Work from home	22.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Canton and Ashland 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	#42 of 282 in MA	#81 of 282 in MA
School district	Ashland	Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton
High school in town	Ashland High	Canton High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.0Highest	13.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.