PlainZIP

Ashland, MA · standard

ZIP Code 01721

Middlesex County, Massachusetts - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

16,593
519/sq mi
$127,539
Median income
$611,700
Median home value
60.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Ashland pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 8%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 9%
home value, US ZIPs
519
people per sq mi
75%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 01721 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 01721 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ashland, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, home to 16,593 residents across 32.0 square miles, a density of 519 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 01721 skews affluent, with a median household income of $127,539 (10% above the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $70,893. Local economic indicators show a 3.5% poverty rate alongside 5.4% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $611,700 (2% above the state average); renters pay a median of $2,452 monthly, and 75.3% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 60.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.1, and the average commute is 37 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 01721, plus 6 more within Middlesex County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 01721

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ashland, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 01721.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 01721, Ashland, MA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

16,593

Population

32.0

Area (sq mi)

519

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 01721?

42.1

Median Age

48.8%

Male

51.2%

Female

23.8%

Foreign-Born

White 66.1%
African American 5.2%
Asian 15.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.6%
Hispanic or Latino 8.7%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$127,539

Median Household Income

+10% vs state

$70,893

Per Capita Income

3.5%

Poverty Rate

5.4%

Unemployment Rate

36.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 01721 ranks nationally

Ashland, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$127,539 Top 8% higher than 92% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). This entry sits in this band. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 76.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 60.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

8,094

Total Housing Units

7,643

Occupied Units

451

Vacant Units

2.44

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 75.3%
Renter 24.7%

$611,700

Median Home Value

+2% vs state

$2,452

Median Rent

1984

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+5.9%

YoY Change (2024)

268

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+168%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 01721 have increased 5.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +168% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.5% 181
2021 +10.8% 201
2022 +15.2% 231
2023 +9.2% 253
2024 +5.9% 268

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 438 business establishments in ZIP 01721, employing approximately 4,438 people with a combined annual payroll of $249,566,000.

438

Businesses

4,438

Employees

$249.6M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 70 16.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 66 15.1%
Other services (except public administration) 50 11.4%
Retail trade 46 10.5%
Accommodation and food services 45 10.3%
Health care and social assistance 33 7.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 31 7.1%
Manufacturing 17 3.9%
Wholesale trade 16 3.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 15 3.4%
Transportation and warehousing 13 3.0%
Finance and insurance 12 2.7%
Educational services 11 2.5%
Information 4 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 0.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 01721 vs 01702 →

ZIP 01721 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 01721 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 01721 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 01721 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
01702 Framingham, MA 37,206 2.5 mi
01745 Fayville, MA 397 2.9 mi
01746 Holliston, MA 13,547 4.3 mi
01701 Framingham, MA 31,217 4.7 mi
01748 Hopkinton, MA 14,925 4.2 mi
01772 Southborough, MA 9,370 4.4 mi
01770 Sherborn, MA 4,119 5.0 mi
02053 Medway, MA 12,752 7.5 mi
01760 Natick, MA 32,786 6.4 mi
01757 Milford, MA 28,061 7.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Middlesex County

02148 standard
Malden, MA
Pop: 59,503
02155 standard
Medford, MA
Pop: 57,964
02149 standard
Everett, MA
Pop: 41,550
01801 standard
Woburn, MA
Pop: 38,903
01752 standard
Marlborough, MA
Pop: 38,499
01702 standard
Framingham, MA
Pop: 37,206

Related Areas

Middlesex County Ashland, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 01721 in? ▼
ZIP code 01721 (Ashland) is located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Middlesex County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/middlesex-ma.
What is the population of ZIP code 01721? ▼
ZIP code 01721 in Ashland, MA has a population of 16,593 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 01721? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 01721 is $127,539, which is 67% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 01721? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 01721 is $611,700, which is 120% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 01721? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 01721 is White at 66.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 01721? ▼
ZIP code 01721 has 438 business establishments employing approximately 4,438 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 01721? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 01721 are: Construction (70), Professional, scientific, and technical services (66), Other services (except public administration) (50). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 01721? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 01721 increased by 5.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 168%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 01721? ▼
In ZIP code 01721, 76.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 60.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 01721? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 01721 is 36.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 01721? ▼
In ZIP code 01721, approximately 75.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 01721? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 01721 is 3.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.