Compare towns
Foxborough vs Sheldon 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
Foxborough has the most renters (26.3% rent).
Sheldon has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 | Sheldon | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,615 |
2,267Lowest |
18,873Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9Highest 9% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.1±1.4 8% above U.S. |
| Foxborough and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sheldon and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashland and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$9k 43% above U.S. |
$78,533±$25kLowest about the U.S. average |
$127,539±$11kHighest 58% above U.S. |
| Ashland and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $606,300±$28k 82% above U.S. |
$272,400±$61kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$611,700±$18kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Ashland and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,843±$70 30% above U.S. |
$1,286±$379Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$2,452±$298Highest 74% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,275 133% above U.S. |
$3,578Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$7,444Highest 139% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±13.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.2%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashland and Foxborough 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 | #138 of 282 in MA | — | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Foxborough | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Ashland |
| High school in town | Foxborough High | None in town | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.