Compare towns
Framingham vs Natick vs Suffield vs Wayland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Framingham has the most renters (45.2% rent).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Wayland has the highest household income ($224k).
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 | Natick | Suffield | Wayland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
36,873 |
15,702 |
13,914Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
43.3±1.4 11% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
45±1.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Wayland and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wayland and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Natick and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
78.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Framingham and Natick 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 33% above U.S. |
$138,538±$11k 72% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$224,000±$28kHighest 177% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$821,000±$25k 147% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$978,400±$36kHighest 194% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57 44% above U.S. |
$2,134±$124Highest 51% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,475±$603 4% above U.S. |
| Natick and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 121% above U.S. |
$8,914 186% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±16 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Framingham and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.1%±1.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
35.1%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #229 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #18 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Natick | Suffield School District | Wayland |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Natick High | Suffield High School | Wayland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.6 |
10.9Lowest |
10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.