Compare towns
Framingham vs Lancaster vs Wayland
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 renters (45.2% rent).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($519k median).
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 | Lancaster | Wayland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
8,606Lowest |
13,914 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
45±1.5Highest 13% above MA |
| Wayland and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Wayland 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% |
78.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6kLowest 3% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$224,000±$28kHighest 115% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10k 12% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$978,400±$36kHighest 74% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57 15% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,475±$603Lowest 16% below MA |
| Lancaster and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884Lowest 15% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.8%±16Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster 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 MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1 MA: 18.6% |
35.1%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wayland and Lancaster 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 | #18 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Nashoba | Wayland |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | None in town | Wayland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 10.9Lowest |
| 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.