Compare towns
Framingham vs Needham 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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Needham | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
32,459 |
18,873Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
42.1±1.4 5% above MA |
| Needham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ashland and Needham 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
60.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Framingham and Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$127,539±$11k 23% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10k 12% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$611,700±$18kLowest 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57Lowest 15% above MA |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Ashland and Needham 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Ashland 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% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #229 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Needham | Ashland |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Needham High | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
11.9Lowest |
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.