Compare towns
Boston vs Canton vs Ogunquit vs Milton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Canton has the most affordable homes ($711k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Milton has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Boston | Canton | Ogunquit | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
24,748 |
1,379Lowest |
28,587 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
41.1±1.8 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.3%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Milton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
71.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9k 78% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$188,529±$15kHighest 134% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27kLowest 114% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$933,200±$31kHighest 180% above U.S. |
| Milton and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25 52% above U.S. |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
— | $1,474±$281Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Canton and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$9,677Highest 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.7%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Milton 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 | #258 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | — | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | — | Milton |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Canton High | — | Milton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
13.1 |
— | 12.4Lowest |
| 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.