Compare towns
Beverly vs Reading vs Wakefield 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).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Reading | Wakefield | Framingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 42,665 |
25,612Lowest |
27,793 |
72,399Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8 about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
| Reading and Wakefield 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Beverly 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
48.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
6.5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$627,300±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,033±$57Highest 15% above MA |
| Framingham and Reading 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$6,884 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
10.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 3% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #229 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | — | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Beverly High | — | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Framingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | 10.7Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.