Compare towns
Framingham vs Upton vs Ashland vs Salem
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 youngest population (median age 37.5).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Upton | Ashland | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
8,189Lowest |
18,873 |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.1±1.4 5% above MA |
39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
| Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Framingham 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Framingham 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$127,539±$11k 23% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Upton 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±$10kHighest 12% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$611,700±$18k 9% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 15% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
$6,114Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Ashland and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.5% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ashland | Salem |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Blackstone Valley | Ashland High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
11.2 |
14.0Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.