Compare towns
Framingham vs Maynard vs Natick vs Salem
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 youngest population (median age 37.5).
Maynard has the most homeowners (75%).
Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
10,712Lowest |
36,873 |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% 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 |
39.3±1.5 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%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest 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% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Natick and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.7% MA: 47.3% |
64.2% MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Lowest 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% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
$124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$138,538±$11kHighest 33% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| 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 |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57 15% above MA |
$1,800±$148Lowest about the MA average |
$2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
| 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 |
$6,114Lowest about the MA average |
| 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% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salem 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% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8% MA: 62.5% |
75%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest 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 |
1938Lowest 26 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 |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 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 | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Maynard | Natick | Salem |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Maynard High | Natick High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
9.7Lowest |
12.6 |
9.8 |
| 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.