Compare towns
Canton vs Needham vs Suffield 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 renters (26.4% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Ashland has the youngest population (median age 42.1).
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 | Needham | Suffield | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748 |
32,459Highest |
15,702Lowest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +13.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.1±1.4Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Canton and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9k 78% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$127,539±$11k 58% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$611,700±$18k 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 64% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183 70% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,452±$298Highest 74% above U.S. |
| Ashland and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560 110% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$7,444 139% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.2%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 36% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Needham | Suffield School District | Ashland |
| High school in town | Canton High | Needham High | Suffield High School | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
11.9 |
10.9Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.