Compare towns
Foxborough vs Reading vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Foxborough has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Foxborough | Reading | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,615Lowest |
25,612Highest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9 6% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
| Reading and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
60.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ashland and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,833±$9kLowest 11% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$127,539±$11k 23% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $606,300±$28kLowest 8% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$611,700±$18k 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,843±$70Lowest 5% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Ashland and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,275Lowest 21% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±13.7 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashland and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 6% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #138 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Foxborough | Reading | Ashland |
| High school in town | Foxborough High | Reading Memorial High | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.1 |
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.