What stands out worked out from the figures below

Framingham has the most homeowners (54.8%).

Malden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).

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	Malden
People
Population	72,399Highest	65,906Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	37.5±1Highest 6% below MA	35.8±1Lowest 11% below MA
	Framingham and Malden 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%	18.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	15.1%±1.1Highest MA: 17.9%	13%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Framingham and Malden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	45.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.5%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9%	9.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,419±$6kHighest 3% above MA	$100,606±$6kLowest 3% below MA
	Framingham and Malden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$627,300±$10kLowest 12% above MA	$633,500±$26kHighest 13% above MA
	Malden and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,033±$57Lowest 15% above MA	$2,204±$62Highest 25% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,884Highest 15% above MA	$4,995Lowest 17% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%	51.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Framingham and Malden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.4%Lowest MA: 10%	11.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	54.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 4% above MA	34 minHighest 18% above MA
Work from home	19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.8%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Malden 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	#184 of 282 in MA
School district	Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical	Malden
High school in town	Framingham High School	Malden High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.7Lowest	16.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.