Compare towns
Grafton vs Dedham vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
Dedham has the shortest commute (29 min average).
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 | Grafton | Dedham | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,902 |
25,237Highest |
18,873Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
42.1±1.4 5% above MA |
| Dedham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Grafton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7% MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,484±$11kHighest 26% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA |
| Grafton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $525,300±$37kLowest 7% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$611,700±$18k 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$169Lowest 15% below MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Ashland and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,117Lowest 19% above MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
75.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.4%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashland and Grafton 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 | #67 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Grafton | — | Ashland |
| High school in town | Grafton High School | — | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Lowest |
— | 14.0Highest |
| 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.