Compare towns
Williamstown vs Marblehead vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Williamstown has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).
Williamstown is a college town. 28.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Williamstown | Marblehead | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,150Lowest |
20,413Highest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±6.9Lowest 6% below MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
42.1±1.4 5% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Williamstown and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.9% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
60.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 28.9%±2.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,650±$25kLowest about the MA average |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$127,539±$11k 23% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $437,100±$39kLowest 22% below MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$611,700±$18k 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,584±$292Lowest 10% below MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,290Lowest 12% below MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$7,444 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±15.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashland and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 45% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 27.3%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Williamstown 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 | #45 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mount Greylock | Marblehead | Ashland |
| High school in town | Mt Greylock Regional High | Marblehead High | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
10.7Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| 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.