Compare towns
Framingham vs Needham 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 affordable homes ($627k median).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
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 | Needham | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
32,459Lowest |
41,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
39.3±1.6 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Needham and Woburn 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Framingham and Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$111,185±$9k 7% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$673,500±$17k 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57Lowest 15% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,221±$77 26% above MA |
| Needham and Woburn 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Woburn 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 4% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #229 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | — | Woburn |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | — | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 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.