Compare towns
Foxborough vs Upton vs Dedham 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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k 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 | Upton | Dedham | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,615 |
8,189Lowest |
25,237Highest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9 6% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
| Upton and Dedham 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Upton 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% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$127,539±$11k 23% above MA |
| Upton and Dedham 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 |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$611,700±$18k 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,843±$70 5% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Ashland and Dedham 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±13.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Ashland 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% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
3.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 22% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #138 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Foxborough | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Dedham | Ashland |
| High school in town | Foxborough High | Blackstone Valley | Dedham High | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.2 |
10.4Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.