Compare towns
Beverly vs Topsfield 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Topsfield has the highest household income ($196k).
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 | Topsfield | Framingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,665 |
6,564Lowest |
72,399Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8 about the MA average |
42.2±1.8Highest 6% above MA |
37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
| Topsfield 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% |
24.8%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Topsfield 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% |
22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield 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% |
71.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$195,718±$16kHighest 88% above MA |
$107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
$853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
$627,300±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106 about the MA average |
$1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,033±$57Highest 15% above MA |
| 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% |
41.9%±40.8Lowest 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% |
7.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% MA: 62.5% |
90.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±8.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Topsfield 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 | #172 of 282 in MA | #229 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Topsfield | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Beverly High | None in town | Framingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
— | 12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.