Rank
67
B+
Ashland
2 schools · 1 high school · 1 elementary school · Ashland
Ashland is a suburban town located about 30 miles southwest of Boston in the MetroWest region. With an average single-family assessed value around $737,000 and a per capita income of $64,286, it represents a solidly middle-class community. Ashland High School ranks #34 in the state, and the district achieves a 94% graduation rate, reflecting strong academic performance across the town's schools. The town has a history as a stop on the Underground Railroad, adding to its historical significance in the region.
Avg MCAS ELA
61%
#83 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
62%
#61 of 326
Avg SAT
1,218
#38 of 290
Attendance
94.7%
#57 of 328
Graduation Rate
94%
#162 of 288
AP Pass Rate
95.4%
#11 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$17,922
#296 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$94,563
#135 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 48% | 49% | — | 499 | 236 |
| Grade 4 | 50% | 51% | — | 500 | 242 |
| Grade 5 | 42% | 56% | 55% | 499 | 196 |
| Grade 6 | 55% | 51% | — | 503 | 229 |
| Grade 7 | 63% | 60% | — | 506 | 228 |
| Grade 8 | 64% | 65% | 56% | 508 | 220 |
| Grade 10 | 71% | 70% | 65% | 513 | 218 |
| HS Science | — | — | 62% | 507 | 223 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 52%
Asian: 18.8%
Hispanic: 21.6%
Black: 3.4%
Multi-Race: 3.6%
Am. Indian: 0.3%
Pac. Islander: 0.1%
Female: 49%Male: 50.9%Non-binary: 0.2%
High Schools in Ashland
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
34
A-
Ashland High
SAT
1,218
ELA
73%
Math
73%
Grad
94%
34
A-
Ashland High
1,218
73%
73%
95.4%
94%
Elementary Schools in Ashland
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
358
B
David Mindess
ELA
49%
Math
51%
Attend.
95.3%
Class
22
358
B
David Mindess
49%
51%
95.3%
22
District Operations
Attendance
#57 of 328Attendance Rate94.7%
Avg Days Absent9
Chronically Absent (10%+)13.4%
Chronically Absent (20%+)2.4%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#296 of 325In-District Per Pupil$16,725
Total Per Pupil$17,922
Total FTE Students2,969
Teacher Salaries
#135 of 325Average Salary$94,563
Teacher FTE Count221
Salary vs. Town Income1.5x(near town avg)
Teacher salary is 1.5x the town's per capita income ($64,286). Teachers earn close to the community average. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#218 of 327Avg Class Size18
English Learners8.3%
Students w/ Disabilities19.3%
Total Students2,935
Staffing & Retention
#102 of 327Teacher Retention89.4%
Principal Retention100%
Total Teachers227
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Ashland
Avg Assessed Value
$737,364
#86 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$9,372
Income Per Capita
$64,286
#78 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#84
of 341 towns
Avg Assessed Value is the mean assessed value of single-family homes only (MA property class 101 — excludes condos, multi-family, and apartments). MA law requires assessment at 100% of fair market value. Income Per Capita is total town income divided by population, derived from MA state income tax returns (not Census surveys). It includes wages, investment income, and capital gains, so wealthy towns can have very high figures. The MA median is about $48K. Tax bill rank orders towns by average single-family tax bill, highest to lowest.
Tax & Bond Details
Residential Tax Rate1.27%
Tax as % of Income14.58%(typical)
Bond RatingAAA(highest)
Tax rate is the effective residential rate (tax bill ÷ assessed value). Tax as % of income measures how much of residents’ income goes to property taxes. The MA median is about 14%; below 10% is low (wealthier towns with high incomes relative to home values), above 16% is above average. Bond rating reflects the town’s creditworthiness for borrowing. AAA is the highest possible rating (strong fiscal management), meaning the town can borrow at the lowest interest rates. AA+ is excellent, AA is very good.
New Growth
$59.1M+1.38% levy growth(typical)
Residential$49.7M
Commercial/Industrial$9.4M
Residential Share84.07%(mostly homes)
New growth measures new taxable value from construction and development (not rising home prices). In Massachusetts, Proposition 2\u00BD limits annual property tax increases to 2.5% of the prior year\u2019s levy. New growth revenue is automatically added on top of this 2.5% base increase \u2014 it does not require a vote. This town’s total levy growth is about 3.9% (2.5% base + 1.38% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (84.07%) shows how much comes from homes vs. commercial/industrial. When most growth is residential, homeowners carry more of the tax burden. More commercial/industrial growth is generally better for homeowners because businesses share the cost.
Municipal Free Cash
$3.0M3.6% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $85.0M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 2,826(93.0%)
Vocational: 57(1.9%)
Charter: 3(0.1%)
Private: 106(3.5%)
Home School: 21(0.7%)
Total: 3,040