What stands out worked out from the figures below

Framingham has the most renters (45.2% rent).

Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).

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	Freeport
People
Population	72,399Highest	8,802Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S.	48.8±4.3Highest 25% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.7%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Framingham and Freeport 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%	26.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.5%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Framingham and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,419±$6kHighest 33% above U.S.	$107,326±$19kLowest 33% above U.S.
	Framingham and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$627,300±$10kHighest 89% above U.S.	$508,400±$76kLowest 53% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,033±$57Highest 44% above U.S.	$1,439±$123Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,884Highest 121% above U.S.	$5,042Lowest 62% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Freeport 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%	8.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	54.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	77.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.	1984Highest 4 yrs newer 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%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Freeport and Framingham 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	#4 of 133 in ME
School district	Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical	RSU 05
High school in town	Framingham High School	Freeport High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.7Highest	12.2Lowest
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.