Compare towns
Framingham vs Malden vs Woburn
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).
Malden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
Woburn has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Malden | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
65,906 |
41,939Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1 6% below MA |
35.8±1Lowest 11% below MA |
39.3±1.6Highest about the MA average |
| Woburn and Framingham 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%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
13%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Woburn and Framingham 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% |
46.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
9.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
$100,606±$6kLowest 3% below MA |
$111,185±$9kHighest 7% above MA |
| Woburn 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±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
$633,500±$26k 13% above MA |
$673,500±$17kHighest 20% above MA |
| Woburn and Malden 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±$62 25% above MA |
$2,221±$77Highest 26% above MA |
| Woburn and Malden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884Highest 15% above MA |
$4,995Lowest 17% below MA |
$5,354 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Woburn and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% MA: 10% |
11.4%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8% MA: 62.5% |
41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6Lowest 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 | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Malden | Woburn |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Malden High | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
16.1Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.