Compare towns
Ashland vs Canton vs Melrose
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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).
Melrose has the most expensive homes ($823k 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 | Ashland | Canton | Melrose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,873Lowest |
24,748 |
29,650Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+13% MA: +7.4% |
+10.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA |
| Melrose and Canton 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% |
20.2%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Melrose 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%±2 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Melrose and Canton 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% |
62% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Melrose and Canton 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 |
$133,953±$14k 29% above MA |
| Canton and Melrose 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±$27k 26% above MA |
$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
$2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$1,970±$149Lowest 12% 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 | $7,444 24% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,578Highest 26% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1Lowest 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% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 26% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
35 minLowest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Melrose and Canton 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 | #62 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashland | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Melrose |
| High school in town | Ashland High | Canton High | Melrose High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
13.1 |
12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.