Compare towns
Ashland vs Putnam vs Cordaville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
Cordaville has the most kids (29.3% 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 | Putnam | Cordaville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,873Highest |
9,292 |
2,989Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±1.4 8% above U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
39.2±3.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Putnam and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
29.3%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.1%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putnam 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
77%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashland and Putnam 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. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$165,375±$41kHighest 105% above U.S. |
| Cordaville and Ashland 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. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$765,900±$66kHighest 130% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,452±$298Highest 74% above U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,844±$1k 31% above U.S. |
| Ashland and Cordaville 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. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.2%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.4%±68.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashland and Cordaville 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% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.1%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cordaville and Ashland 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Ashland | Putnam School District | — |
| High school in town | Ashland High | Putnam High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
9.5Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.