Compare towns
Framingham vs Pepperell 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).
Pepperell has the most affordable homes ($482k 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 | Pepperell | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
11,663Lowest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
42.4±3.3Highest 6% above MA |
42.1±1.4 5% above MA |
| Pepperell 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% |
20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Framingham and Pepperell 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% |
18.2%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.7% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Framingham and Pepperell 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 |
$124,073±$12k 19% above MA |
$127,539±$11kHighest 23% above MA |
| Ashland and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10kHighest 12% above MA |
$482,100±$14kLowest 14% 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 |
$1,295±$238Lowest 27% below MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 15% above MA |
$6,698Lowest 12% above MA |
$7,444Highest 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 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%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7Lowest 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 | #153 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | North Middlesex | Ashland |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | None in town | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 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.