Compare towns
Framingham vs Temple vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Framingham has the most renters (45.2% rent).
Temple has the most affordable homes ($401k 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 | Temple | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
1,363Lowest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
42.1±1.4 8% above U.S. |
| Temple 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 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashland and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6k 33% above U.S. |
$94,107±$15kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$127,539±$11kHighest 58% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$401,000±$27kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$611,700±$18k 84% above U.S. |
| 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 44% above U.S. |
$1,169±$523Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$2,452±$298Highest 74% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884Lowest 121% above U.S. |
$6,983 124% above U.S. |
$7,444Highest 139% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.2%±54.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.2%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 15% above U.S. |
37 min 39% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Contoocook Valley School District | 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 |
U.S. 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.