Compare towns
Framingham vs Natick 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).
Natick has the most expensive homes ($821k 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 | Natick | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
36,873 |
18,873Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1% MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
43.3±1.4Highest 8% above MA |
42.1±1.4 5% above MA |
| Natick 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%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Framingham and Natick 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% |
20.4%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Natick 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
60.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Framingham and Natick 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 |
$138,538±$11kHighest 33% above MA |
$127,539±$11k 23% above MA |
| Natick and Ashland 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 |
$821,000±$25kHighest 46% above MA |
$611,700±$18kLowest 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57Lowest 15% above MA |
$2,134±$124 21% above MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Ashland and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884Lowest 15% above MA |
$8,914Highest 49% above MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest 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% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
75.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Natick 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 | #229 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Natick | Ashland |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Natick High | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.6Lowest |
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.