Compare towns
Natick vs Windham vs Cochituate vs Canton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Natick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
Cochituate has the most people working from home (36.9%).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Natick | Windham | Cochituate | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 36,873Highest |
19,188 |
6,471Lowest |
24,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.4 11% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
| Cochituate and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Cochituate and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Natick and Cochituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
77%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Natick and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $138,538±$11k 72% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$192,361±$18kHighest 138% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9k 78% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $821,000±$25k 147% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$906,300±$42kHighest 172% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,134±$124 51% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,582±$649 12% above U.S. |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Canton and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,914 186% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±6.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.2%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.1%±1.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
36.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #48 of 282 in MA | #95 of 133 in ME | — | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Natick | RSU 14 | — | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Natick High | Windham High School | — | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
12.1Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.