Compare towns
Canton vs Ashland vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($612k median).
Wakefield has the shortest commute (33 min average).
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 | Canton | Ashland | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748 |
18,873Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Canton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
60.7% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Canton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Canton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$611,700±$18kLowest 9% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Ashland and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashland and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% MA: 62.5% |
75.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Canton and Wakefield 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 | #81 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Ashland | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Canton High | Ashland High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
14.0Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.