Compare towns
Beverly vs Windham vs Framingham vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has the most expensive homes ($650k median).
Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).
Framingham has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% 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 | Windham | Framingham | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 42,665 |
19,188Lowest |
72,399Highest |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8 about the U.S. average |
41.8±1.8Highest 7% above U.S. |
37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Framingham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Beverly and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7k 31% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$107,419±$6k 33% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Windham and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$627,300±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106 25% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$2,033±$57Highest 44% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836 119% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$6,884Highest 121% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Beverly and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
54.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Beverly and Salem 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #229 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | RSU 14 | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Salem |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Windham High School | Framingham High School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
12.1 |
12.7Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.