Population 18,744 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Ashland: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Ashland
Household size in Ashland
| Period | Ashland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.55 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.65 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.62 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.47 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Ashland has 2.47 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has edged down from 2.55 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the center.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Ashland
| Period | Ashland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.6 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.9 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.8 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.7 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.1 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Ashland skews a little older than the country: its median age is 41.7, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 40.6 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the south.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Ashland
| Period | Ashland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.9% of households in Ashland, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.7 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Ashland has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Massachusetts cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Ashland
Renters in Ashland
| Period | Ashland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.9% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.9% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.4% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.5% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Ashland is largely a place of homeowners: only 24.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 38.0% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 6.6 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Ashland
| Period | Ashland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.8% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.9% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Ashland: 6.4% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of the Boston area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 3.6 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Ashland
| Period | Ashland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Ashland was built around 1983, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the Boston area overall, where the median home dates to 1964. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the north. Only 22 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Ashland
| Period | Ashland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,126 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,278 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,544 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,192 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,066 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Ashland costs $2,192 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,066 a month since 2006–10, up 95%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 35.8% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; the highest are in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Ashland
Bachelor's degrees in Ashland
| Period | Ashland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.2% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 59.8% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.0% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 60.6% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Ashland: 60.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 5.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Ashland
| Period | Ashland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.3% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.3% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.8% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.6% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Ashland: 97.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 1.3 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Ashland has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Ashland
| Period | Ashland | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.3% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Ashland is close to the national rate: 5.7% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in the Boston area overall (4.9%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Ashland compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland | 2.47 | 41.7 | 4.9% | 24.5% | 6.4% | 1983 | $2,192 | 60.6% | 97.6% | 5.7% |
| Framingham | 2.65 | 39.1 | 12.4% | 45.2% | 5.6% | 1966 | $2,011 | 47.5% | 86.2% | 4.9% |
| Holliston | 2.70 | 45.5 | 3.1% | 12.5% | 5.4% | 1970 | $1,631 | 66.1% | 96.7% | 4.3% |
| Fayville | 2.57 | 40.6 | 4.8% | 15.8% | 1.7% | 1960 | $1,760 | 73.0% | 97.0% | 5.7% |
| Hopkinton | 2.89 | 40.9 | 6.6% | 13.2% | 6.2% | 1992 | $2,886 | 79.3% | 98.1% | 2.3% |
| Southville | 2.74 | 41.4 | 4.4% | 20.7% | 1.2% | 1986 | $1,349 | 73.5% | 99.6% | 3.9% |
| Sherborn | 2.91 | 43.0 | 1.8% | 10.5% | 6.2% | 1969 | $2,474 | 82.3% | 99.6% | 4.6% |
| Southborough | 2.78 | 42.7 | 5.9% | 12.3% | 4.9% | 1981 | $2,452 | 75.9% | 97.1% | 4.2% |
| Natick | 2.44 | 43.5 | 5.8% | 32.1% | 4.9% | 1966 | $2,103 | 71.0% | 96.9% | 2.9% |
| Harding | 2.54 | 57.0 | 1.2% | 7.4% | 11.0% | 1981 | $1,349 | 52.7% | 88.8% | 2.4% |
| North Milford | 2.48 | 49.9 | 6.5% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 1990 | $2,039 | 59.5% | 97.4% | 5.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Holly Springs, GA · Fergus Falls, MN · Exton, PA · Athens, TX · Dillsburg, PA · Union, MO · Voorhees, NJ · Cudahy, WI · Satellite Beach, FL · Alexandria, KY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Ashland. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.