Compare towns
Framingham vs Lancaster vs Beverly
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 kids (21.7% under 18).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Beverly has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).
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 | Lancaster | Beverly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
8,606Lowest |
42,665 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
39±1.8 about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Beverly 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% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Framingham and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Beverly 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 MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10k 12% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$650,300±$13kHighest 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57 15% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
| Lancaster 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 |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$6,836Lowest 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Beverly 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% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
60.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Beverly 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Nashoba | Beverly |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | None in town | Beverly High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| 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.