Compare towns
Ashland vs Marblehead vs Framingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
Framingham has the most renters (45.2% rent).
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 | Marblehead | Framingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,873Lowest |
20,413 |
72,399Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±1.4 5% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead 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% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $127,539±$11k 23% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$107,419±$6kLowest 3% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $611,700±$18kLowest 9% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$627,300±$10k 12% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,033±$57 15% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,444 24% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$6,884Lowest 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Ashland and Framingham 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% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
10.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 26% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #42 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #229 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashland | — | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ashland High | — | Framingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 12.7Lowest |
| 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.