Compare towns
Ashland vs Exeter vs Foxborough
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 people working from home (22.7%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Foxborough has the most kids (22% 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.
| Measure | Ashland | Exeter | Foxborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,873Highest |
16,151Lowest |
18,615 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±1.4Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
42.4±1.9 9% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Foxborough and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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 58% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$115,833±$9k 43% above U.S. |
| Ashland and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $611,700±$18kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$606,300±$28k 82% above U.S. |
| Ashland and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,452±$298Highest 74% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,843±$70Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,444 139% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$7,275Lowest 133% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.2%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±13.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashland and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #138 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashland | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Foxborough |
| High school in town | Ashland High | Exeter High School | Foxborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
12.1 |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.