Compare towns
Canton vs Reading 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 renters (26.4% rent).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($612k median).
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 | Reading | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748 |
25,612Highest |
18,873Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
| Reading 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% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading 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% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest 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±$9k 38% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$611,700±$18kLowest 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$1,991±$273Lowest 13% 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 | $6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Reading | Ashland |
| High school in town | Canton High | Reading Memorial High | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
12.1Lowest |
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.