What stands out worked out from the figures below

Framingham has the most expensive homes ($627k median).

Enfield has the most affordable homes ($253k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Framingham	Enfield
People
Population	72,399Highest	41,090Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.9% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S.	40.7±1.9Highest 5% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.7%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	18.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Framingham and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18%±1.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	31.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.5%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.3%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,419±$6kHighest 33% above U.S.	$90,404±$5kLowest 12% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$627,300±$10kHighest 89% above U.S.	$252,900±$7kLowest 24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,033±$57Highest 44% above U.S.	$1,574±$83Lowest 11% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,884Highest 121% above U.S.	$5,360Lowest 72% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±5.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	46.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Framingham and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	54.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	75.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S.	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 15% above U.S.	24 minLowest 11% below U.S.
Work from home	19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#229 of 282 in MA	#123 of 149 in CT
School district	Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical	Capitol Region Education Council · Enfield School District
High school in town	Framingham High School	Enfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.7Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.