Compare towns
Framingham vs Canton vs Wayland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Framingham has the most renters (45.2% rent).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Wayland has the highest household income ($224k).
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 | Framingham | Canton | Wayland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
24,748 |
13,914Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
45±1.5Highest 13% above MA |
| Wayland and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
24.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Wayland and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Canton and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.5% MA: 47.3% |
78.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6kLowest 3% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$224,000±$28kHighest 115% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$978,400±$36kHighest 74% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57 15% above MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,475±$603Lowest 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 15% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
42.8%±16Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Framingham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
35.1%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #229 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #18 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Wayland |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Canton High | Wayland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
13.1Highest |
10.9Lowest |
| 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.