Compare towns
Castle Hill vs Hanson vs Mapleton vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castle Hill has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Hanson has the most expensive homes ($534k median).
Mapleton has the most people working from home (10.8%).
Ashland has the most renters (33.9% rent).
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 | Castle Hill | Hanson | Mapleton | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 281Lowest |
10,660Highest |
1,884 |
1,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.8±15.8Highest 49% above U.S. |
42.8±3 10% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
53.4±9.1 37% above U.S. |
| Castle Hill and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 44.8%±6.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
32.2%±8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Castle Hill and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
13.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,250±$14k 33% below U.S. |
$132,200±$10kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$46,838±$15kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $145,300±$18k 56% below U.S. |
$533,900±$36kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$125,000±$49kLowest 62% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$574 33% below U.S. |
$1,821±$860Highest 29% above U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
— |
| Hanson and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,449Lowest 54% below U.S. |
$6,402Highest 105% above U.S. |
$1,789 43% below U.S. |
$1,511 52% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
69%±33.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±27.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castle Hill and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
23.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mapleton and Castle Hill 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 | — | #149 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Whitman-Hanson | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | — | Whitman Hanson Regional | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— | — |
| 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.