Compare towns
Canton vs Lancaster 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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Lancaster | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748Highest |
8,606Lowest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
| Lancaster 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% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster 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% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2 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 |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA |
| Canton and Lancaster 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 |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$611,700±$18k 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Lowest 31% above MA |
$2,338±$539 33% above MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Ashland and Lancaster 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 |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$7,444Highest 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Ashland 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% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Canton 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Nashoba | Ashland |
| High school in town | Canton High | None in town | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
— | 14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.