Compare towns
Ashland vs Canton vs Needham vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($612k median).
Canton has the most renters (26.4% rent).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Needham | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,873 |
24,748 |
32,459Highest |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±1.4Lowest 8% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham 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±$11k 58% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9k 78% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kLowest 42% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $611,700±$18kLowest 84% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,452±$298Highest 74% above U.S. |
$2,315±$178Lowest 64% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183 70% above U.S. |
— |
| Ashland and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,444 139% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.2%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
36 min 36% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | #19 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 History | None yet | 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.