Compare towns
Framingham vs Douglas 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).
Douglas has the most affordable homes ($471k 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 | Framingham | Douglas | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
9,207Lowest |
18,873 |
| 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 |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
42.1±1.4 5% above MA |
| Douglas 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% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Framingham and Douglas 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% |
15.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ashland and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.7% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Framingham and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6kLowest 3% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$127,539±$11k 23% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10kHighest 12% above MA |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$611,700±$18k 9% above MA |
| Framingham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57 15% above MA |
$1,503±$697Lowest 15% below MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 15% above MA |
$6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
$7,444Highest 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest 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% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashland and Douglas 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Douglas | Ashland |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Douglas High School | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
7.2Lowest |
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.