Compare towns
Framingham vs Needham vs Quincy
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).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Quincy has the most renters (54.8% 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 | Needham | Quincy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399 |
32,459Lowest |
102,114Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+10.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
38.6±0.8 4% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.5%±1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Quincy 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$98,882±$5kLowest 5% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10k 12% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$618,500±$14kLowest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57Lowest 15% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,118±$59 20% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 15% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,381Lowest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.7%±3.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±1.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #229 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #147 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Needham | Quincy |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Needham High | North Quincy High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
11.9Lowest |
15.5Highest |
| 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.