What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ashland	Hingham
People
Population	18,873Lowest	24,283Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+9.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA	48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA
Kids under 18	18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%	76.2%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Ashland and Hingham 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	$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$611,700±$18kLowest 9% above MA	$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,452±$298Lowest 39% above MA	$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA
	Hingham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,444Lowest 24% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.2%±14.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8%
	Hingham 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%	4.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	80.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA	1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 26% above MA	36 minLowest 24% above MA
Work from home	22.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#42 of 282 in MA	#14 of 282 in MA
School district	Ashland	Hingham
High school in town	Ashland High	Hingham High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.0Highest	12.9Lowest
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.