Compare towns
Canton vs Dedham vs Wareham vs Ashland
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).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).
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 | Dedham | Wareham | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748 |
25,237Highest |
23,302 |
18,873Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Dedham 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% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$127,539±$11k 23% above MA |
| Canton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$611,700±$18k 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% 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 | $6,560 9% above MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Canton 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 | #81 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Dedham | Wareham | Ashland |
| High school in town | Canton High | Dedham High | Wareham Senior High | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
10.4 |
8.6Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.