Compare towns
Stoneham vs Upton vs Mansfield vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stoneham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 41.4).
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 | Stoneham | Upton | Mansfield | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,355 |
8,189Lowest |
23,931Highest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2 6% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
41.4±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
42.1±1.4 5% above MA |
| Upton and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
51.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Mansfield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$125,273±$15k 21% above MA |
$127,539±$11k 23% above MA |
| Upton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $671,900±$26kHighest 20% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$603,500±$28k 7% above MA |
$611,700±$18k 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142 15% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,803±$147 about the MA average |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Ashland and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,226 21% above MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest 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 | 5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
3.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Stoneham and Upton 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 | #117 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mansfield | Ashland |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Mansfield High | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
11.1Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.