Compare towns
Framingham vs Mendon vs Natick
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).
Mendon has the most homeowners (86.9%).
Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
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 | Mendon | Natick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
6,325Lowest |
36,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
43.3±1.4 8% above MA |
| Mendon and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.7% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon 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±$6kLowest 3% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$138,538±$11kHighest 33% above MA |
| Natick and Mendon 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 |
$616,000±$37kLowest 10% above MA |
$821,000±$25kHighest 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57 15% above MA |
$1,840±$196Lowest 4% above MA |
$2,134±$124Highest 21% 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 | $6,884Lowest 15% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$8,914Highest 49% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon 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% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #229 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Mendon-Upton | Natick |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | None in town | Natick High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.6Lowest |
| 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.