Compare towns
Framingham vs Exeter vs Natick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Framingham has the most renters (45.2% rent).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Natick has the most expensive homes ($821k 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.
| Measure | Framingham | Exeter | Natick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
16,151Lowest |
36,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.3±1.4 11% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Framingham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$138,538±$11kHighest 72% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$821,000±$25kHighest 147% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57 44% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S. |
$2,134±$124Highest 51% above U.S. |
| Natick and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884Lowest 121% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$8,914Highest 186% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Framingham 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Natick and Exeter 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 | #229 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #48 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Natick |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Exeter High School | Natick High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.