Compare towns
Ashland vs Needham vs Ogunquit vs Framingham
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).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Needham | Ogunquit | Framingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,873 |
32,459 |
1,379Lowest |
72,399Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±1.4 8% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Framingham and Needham 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. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$107,419±$6kLowest 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $611,700±$18kLowest 84% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$627,300±$10k 89% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,452±$298Highest 74% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183 70% above U.S. |
— | $2,033±$57Lowest 44% 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,884 121% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.2%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±5.6 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
54.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest 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 | #19 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 | 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.