Compare towns
Canton vs Erving vs Wakefield 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).
Erving has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
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 | Erving | Wakefield | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748 |
1,703Lowest |
27,793Highest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% MA: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
43.3±2.4Highest 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
| Erving and Canton 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% |
16.3%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±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% |
22.6%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Erving and Wakefield 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% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
60.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Canton and Wakefield 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 |
$77,656±$9kLowest 25% below MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$127,539±$11k 23% 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 |
$271,800±$20kLowest 52% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$611,700±$18k 9% 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 |
$1,163±$213Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above 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 |
$1,870Lowest 69% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
46.5%±23 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2Highest 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% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% MA: 62.5% |
81.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
3.6%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3 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 | — | #179 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Erving | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Ashland |
| High school in town | Canton High | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— | 10.7Lowest |
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.