Compare towns
Foxborough vs Sturbridge 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).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k 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 | Sturbridge | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,615 |
9,960Lowest |
18,873Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9 6% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Foxborough and Sturbridge 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% |
19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Sturbridge 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% MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge and Ashland 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 |
$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$127,539±$11k 23% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $606,300±$28k 8% above MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$611,700±$18kHighest 9% above MA |
| 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 5% above MA |
$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,275 21% above MA |
$6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,444Highest 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±13.7 MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest 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% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
37 min 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashland and Sturbridge 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Foxborough | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Ashland |
| High school in town | Foxborough High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
7.7Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.