Compare towns
Canton vs Sharon 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 shortest commute (36 min average).
Sharon has the highest household income ($192k).
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 | Sharon | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748Highest |
18,574Lowest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% MA: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
42.5±1 6% above MA |
42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
| Canton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Canton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5% MA: 47.3% |
76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Sharon 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 38% above MA |
$191,835±$19kHighest 85% above MA |
$127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$737,100±$33kHighest 31% above MA |
$611,700±$18kLowest 9% above MA |
| Sharon 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 |
$2,310±$345Lowest 31% 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
49%±16.2Lowest 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% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minLowest 23% above MA |
39 minHighest 33% above MA |
37 min 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sharon 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 | #23 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Sharon | Ashland |
| High school in town | Canton High | Sharon High | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
11.9Lowest |
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.