Compare towns
Framingham vs Danvers vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Framingham has the most renters (45.2% rent).
Danvers has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
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 | Framingham | Danvers | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
28,098 |
18,873Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
42.1±1.4 5% above MA |
| Danvers and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Framingham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.7% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6kLowest 3% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$127,539±$11kHighest 23% above MA |
| Ashland and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10k 12% above MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$611,700±$18kLowest 9% above MA |
| Danvers and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57Lowest 15% above MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Ashland and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 15% above MA |
$6,654Lowest 11% above MA |
$7,444Highest 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashland and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
75.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashland and Framingham 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 | #229 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Ashland |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
12.8 |
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.