Compare towns
Goshen vs Dedham vs Ashfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Goshen has the most affordable homes ($352k median).
Dedham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
Ashfield has the most people working from home (24%).
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 | Goshen | Dedham | Ashfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 915Lowest |
25,237Highest |
1,893 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58±5.8 45% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
58.6±3.4Highest 47% above MA |
| Ashfield and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ashfield and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±3.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Goshen and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,906±$10k 5% below MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$80,833±$16kLowest 22% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $351,900±$25kLowest 37% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$400,600±$30k 29% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $869±$727Lowest 51% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,100±$200 38% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,022Lowest 16% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$5,197 13% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±66.5 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.5%±34Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashfield and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 3 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.1%±7.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
24%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashfield and Dedham 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 | — | #119 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Dedham | Mohawk Trail |
| High school in town | — | Dedham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.