Compare towns
Framingham vs Maynard vs Natick 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 renters (45.2% rent).
Maynard has the most affordable homes ($527k median).
Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
Beverly has the shortest commute (30 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 | Maynard | Natick | Beverly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
10,712Lowest |
36,873 |
42,665 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
45.3±4.3Highest 13% above MA |
43.3±1.4 8% above MA |
39±1.8 about the MA average |
| Maynard and Natick 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% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Framingham and Natick 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% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Natick 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% |
64.2% MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
$124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$138,538±$11kHighest 33% above MA |
$106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
| Natick and Maynard 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 |
$527,400±$31kLowest 6% below MA |
$821,000±$25kHighest 46% above MA |
$650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57 15% above MA |
$1,800±$148 about the MA average |
$2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA |
$1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
| Natick 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 |
$8,266 38% above MA |
$8,914Highest 49% above MA |
$6,836Lowest 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Beverly 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% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
60.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1968Highest 4 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 |
31 min 5% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Natick and Maynard 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 | #166 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Maynard | Natick | Beverly |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Maynard High | Natick High | Beverly High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
9.7Lowest |
12.6 |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.