Compare towns
Beverly vs Acton vs Framingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Framingham has the most renters (45.2% rent).
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 | Beverly | Acton | Framingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,665 |
24,155Lowest |
72,399Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8 about the MA average |
44.5±0.8Highest 11% above MA |
37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Beverly and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$627,300±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
$1,986±$155 13% above MA |
$2,033±$57Highest 15% above MA |
| Framingham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836Lowest 14% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,884 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Beverly and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 3% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #144 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #229 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Acton-Boxborough | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Framingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
13.5Highest |
12.7 |
| 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.