Compare towns
Grafton vs Upton 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 affordable homes ($525k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Upton | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,902Highest |
8,189Lowest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.1±1.4 5% above MA |
| Upton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Grafton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2 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+ | 55.7% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Grafton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,484±$11k 26% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA |
| Upton and Grafton 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 |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$611,700±$18kHighest 9% above MA |
| Ashland and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$169 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,117Lowest 19% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashland and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3 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 | #67 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Grafton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ashland |
| High school in town | Grafton High School | Blackstone Valley | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
11.2Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.