Compare towns
Beverly vs Framingham vs Stow
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).
Framingham has the most renters (45.2% rent).
Stow has the highest household income ($186k).
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 | Framingham | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,665 |
72,399Highest |
7,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8 about the MA average |
37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
| Stow and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow 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% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Beverly and Stow 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% |
48.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
$627,300±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
$2,033±$57Highest 15% above MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836Lowest 14% above MA |
$6,884 15% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2 MA: 51.8% |
53.4%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% MA: 10% |
10.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% MA: 62.5% |
54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 3% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #144 of 282 in MA | #229 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Framingham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
12.7Highest |
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| 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.