Compare towns
Stoneham vs Ashby vs Foxborough
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 most people working from home (24.6%).
Ashby has the most affordable homes ($391k median).
Foxborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Ashby | Foxborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,355Highest |
3,211Lowest |
18,615 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
42.4±1.9 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Foxborough and Stoneham 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% |
21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ashby 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% |
43.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Stoneham and Foxborough 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 |
$115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
$115,833±$9kHighest 11% above MA |
| Foxborough and Ashby 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 |
$390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA |
$606,300±$28k 8% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,843±$70 5% above MA |
| Stoneham and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523 9% above MA |
$6,034Lowest about the MA average |
$7,275Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54%±13.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Foxborough and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Stoneham and Ashby 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | #138 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | North Middlesex | Foxborough |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | None in town | Foxborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
| 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.