Compare towns
Framingham vs Hatfield 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).
Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Hatfield | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
3,325Lowest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% MA: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
46.8±5Highest 17% above MA |
42.1±1.4 5% above MA |
| Hatfield 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% |
14%±4.3Lowest 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% |
23.3%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Hatfield and Ashland 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% |
48.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Framingham and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
$89,005±$25kLowest 14% below MA |
$127,539±$11kHighest 23% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10kHighest 12% above MA |
$440,800±$26kLowest 22% 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 |
$1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 15% above MA |
$4,930Lowest 18% below MA |
$7,444Highest 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±11.8Lowest 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% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.6% MA: 62.5% |
75.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
20 minLowest 30% below MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
16%±6.3Lowest 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 | #198 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Hatfield | Ashland |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Smith Academy | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
6.1Lowest |
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.