Compare towns
Framingham vs Dalton vs Natick
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).
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
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 | Dalton | Natick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
6,256Lowest |
36,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
43.3±1.4 8% above MA |
| Dalton and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Framingham and Natick 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% |
27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Dalton and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.7% MA: 47.3% |
44.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Framingham and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$138,538±$11kHighest 33% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10k 12% above MA |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$821,000±$25kHighest 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57 15% above MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA |
| Natick and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 15% above MA |
$4,276Lowest 29% below MA |
$8,914Highest 49% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Framingham and Natick 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% |
7.4% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #229 of 282 in MA | #192 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Central Berkshire | Natick |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Wahconah Regional High | Natick High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.9Lowest |
12.6 |
| 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.