Compare towns
Northbridge vs Ashland vs Raynham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Ashland has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Raynham has the most homeowners (78.1%).
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 | Northbridge | Ashland | Raynham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
18,873Highest |
15,505Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+13.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
42.9±1.5 7% above MA |
| Northbridge and Raynham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.4%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Raynham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Raynham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
39.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ashland and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
$127,539±$11kHighest 23% above MA |
$124,012±$16k 19% above MA |
| Ashland and Raynham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$611,700±$18kHighest 9% above MA |
$524,400±$29k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
$1,749±$74 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$7,444Highest 24% above MA |
$6,752 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
67.1%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Raynham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
78.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 7% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
36 min 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.8%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashland and Northbridge 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA | #190 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Ashland | Bridgewater-Raynham |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Ashland High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
14.0Highest |
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| 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.