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 highest household income ($190k).
Ashland has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 |
16,038Lowest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% 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%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$127,539±$11k 58% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$611,700±$18kLowest 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$2,452±$298 74% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884Lowest 121% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,444 139% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Lowest 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% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 15% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashland and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Windham School District | Ashland |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Windham High School | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
12.8 |
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.