What stands out worked out from the figures below

Auburn has the most affordable homes ($400k median).

Grafton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).

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	Auburn	Grafton
People
Population	16,970Lowest	19,902Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA	41.1±1.6Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	21%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.5%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4%
	Grafton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	15.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	55.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Grafton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,711±$10kLowest 12% above MA	$131,484±$11kHighest 26% above MA
	Grafton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA	$525,300±$37kHighest 7% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA	$1,504±$169Highest 15% below MA
	Grafton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,289Lowest 12% below MA	$7,117Highest 19% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8%	45.1%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Auburn and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Lowest MA: 10%	6.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%Highest MA: 62.5%	73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 12% below MA	33 minHighest 13% above MA
Work from home	14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.4%±2.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#106 of 282 in MA	#67 of 282 in MA
School district	Auburn	Grafton
High school in town	Auburn Senior High	Grafton High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	12.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.