Compare towns
Ashland vs Ogunquit vs Upton vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Grafton has the most affordable homes ($525k 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.
| Measure | Ashland | Ogunquit | Upton | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,873 |
1,379Lowest |
8,189 |
19,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±1.4 8% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
41.1±1.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Grafton 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Grafton 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±$11k 58% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$131,484±$11k 63% above U.S. |
| Upton and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $611,700±$18k 84% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$525,300±$37kLowest 58% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,452±$298Highest 74% above U.S. |
— | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,504±$169 6% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,444 139% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,117 128% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.2%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashland and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #42 of 282 in MA | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #67 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashland | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Grafton |
| High school in town | Ashland High | — | Blackstone Valley | Grafton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
12.9 |
| 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.