Compare towns
Beverly vs Framingham vs Wenham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).
Framingham has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
Wenham has the highest household income ($195k).
Wenham is a college town. 27.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Wenham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,665 |
72,399Highest |
4,929Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.9% MA: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Highest about the MA average |
37.5±1 6% below MA |
29.3±9.3Lowest 27% below MA |
| Beverly and Framingham 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%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Framingham and Wenham 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%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4% MA: 47.3% |
48.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.5%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
27.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
$194,781±$33kHighest 87% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
$627,300±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
$885,400±$48kHighest 58% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
$2,033±$57Highest 15% above MA |
— |
| 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%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
43.3%±20.8Lowest 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% |
10.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% MA: 62.5% |
54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1961 3 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wenham and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #144 of 282 in MA | #229 of 282 in MA | #74 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Hamilton-Wenham |
| 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.