What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ashland has the most renters (33.9% rent).

Castle Hill has the most people working from home (10.3%).

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	Castle Hill
People
Population	1,080Highest	281Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.7% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	53.4±9.1Lowest 19% above ME	57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME
	Castle Hill and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.3%±3.8Highest ME: 18.1%	14.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Ashland and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	32.2%±8Lowest ME: 22.4%	44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4%
	Castle Hill and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%	26.7%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8%	2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Ashland and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$46,838±$15kLowest 37% below ME	$54,250±$14kHighest 27% below ME
	Castle Hill and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$125,000±$49kLowest 58% below ME	$145,300±$18kHighest 51% below ME
	Castle Hill and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$950±$574 17% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,511Highest 50% below ME	$1,449Lowest 52% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	25.7%±27.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	75%±100Highest ME: 48.4%
	Castle Hill and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	23.6%Highest ME: 10.7%	4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%	94.3%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minHighest 14% below ME	19 minLowest 24% below ME
Work from home	4.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9%	10.3%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Castle Hill and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

ME 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.