Compare towns
Canton vs Woonsocket vs Ashland vs Dedham
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 people working from home (25.7%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).
Dedham has the oldest population (median age 44.6).
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 | Woonsocket | Ashland | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748 |
43,521Highest |
18,873Lowest |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
42.1±1.4 8% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$127,539±$11k 58% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
| Canton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$611,700±$18k 84% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 64% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$2,452±$298Highest 74% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
| Ashland and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560 110% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$7,444 139% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.2%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 36% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canton and Ashland 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #42 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Ashland | — |
| High school in town | Canton High | Woonsocket High School | Ashland High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
15.2Highest |
14.0 |
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| 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.