Compare towns
Framingham vs Freeport vs Wayland
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).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Freeport | Wayland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
8,802Lowest |
13,914 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
48.8±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
45±1.5 16% above U.S. |
| Freeport and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wayland and Framingham 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% |
18.7%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
78.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.3Lowest 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±$6k 33% above U.S. |
$107,326±$19kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$224,000±$28kHighest 177% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$508,400±$76kLowest 53% above U.S. |
$978,400±$36kHighest 194% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57Highest 44% above U.S. |
$1,439±$123Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,475±$603 4% above U.S. |
| Framingham and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 121% above U.S. |
$5,042Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±16Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
35.1%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #229 of 282 in MA | #4 of 133 in ME | #18 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | RSU 05 | Wayland |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Freeport High School | Wayland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.2 |
10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.