Compare towns
Framingham vs Windham 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).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k 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 | Windham | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
19,188 |
18,873Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
42.1±1.4Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Ashland and Windham 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% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Framingham and Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashland and Windham 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% |
44.2%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% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$127,539±$11kHighest 58% above U.S. |
| Ashland and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kLowest 17% 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. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$2,452±$298Highest 74% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 121% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,444Highest 139% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | RSU 14 | Ashland |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Windham High School | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.1Lowest |
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.