Compare towns
Canton vs Sturbridge vs Upton 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 expensive homes ($711k median).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Sturbridge | Upton | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748Highest |
9,960 |
8,189Lowest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Upton 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% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Canton 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% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
60.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge 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 |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA |
| Upton and Canton 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 |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$611,700±$18k 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below 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 | $6,560 9% above MA |
$6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashland and Upton 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% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
35 minLowest 22% above MA |
37 min 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Canton and Upton 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ashland |
| High school in town | Canton High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Blackstone Valley | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
7.7Lowest |
11.2 |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.