Compare towns
Canton vs Exeter vs Dedham vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Dedham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
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 | Exeter | Dedham | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748 |
16,151Lowest |
25,237Highest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
42.1±1.4Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
55%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Dedham 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 78% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$127,539±$11k 58% above U.S. |
| 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 114% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$611,700±$18k 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 64% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,452±$298Highest 74% above U.S. |
| 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 110% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
$7,444 139% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.2%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 36% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #119 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Ashland |
| High school in town | Canton High | Exeter High School | — | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
12.1Lowest |
— | 14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.