Compare towns
Canton vs Wenham vs Natick
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 affordable homes ($711k median).
Wenham has the highest household income ($195k).
Natick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Wenham is a college town. 27.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Wenham | Natick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748 |
4,929Lowest |
36,873Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
29.3±9.3Lowest 27% below MA |
43.3±1.4Highest 8% above MA |
| Natick 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% |
18.9%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Natick 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% |
14.6%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Natick 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
27.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$194,781±$33kHighest 87% above MA |
$138,538±$11kLowest 33% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kLowest 26% above MA |
$885,400±$48kHighest 58% above MA |
$821,000±$25k 46% above MA |
| Wenham and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
— | $2,134±$124Lowest 21% above MA |
| Canton and Natick 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 |
$8,914 49% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.3%±20.8 MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Canton and Wenham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% MA: 62.5% |
85.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1961Lowest 3 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wenham 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 | #74 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Hamilton-Wenham | Natick |
| High school in town | Canton High | None in town | Natick High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 12.6Lowest |
| 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.