Compare towns
Framingham vs Quincy vs Waltham
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 kids (21.7% under 18).
Quincy has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).
Waltham has the most expensive homes ($749k median).
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 | Quincy | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399 |
102,114Highest |
64,902Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1 6% below MA |
38.6±0.8Highest 4% below MA |
34.4±1Lowest 14% below MA |
| Quincy and Framingham 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% |
14.5%±1 MA: 19.4% |
13.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Quincy and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
57.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
19.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
$98,882±$5kLowest 5% below MA |
$120,216±$7kHighest 16% above MA |
| Waltham and Framingham 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 |
$618,500±$14kLowest 10% above MA |
$748,700±$27kHighest 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57Lowest 15% above MA |
$2,118±$59 20% above MA |
$2,268±$79Highest 29% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884Highest 15% above MA |
$6,381 6% above MA |
$4,766Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.7%±3.5 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Framingham and Quincy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% MA: 10% |
10.6%Highest MA: 10% |
9.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
49.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1961 3 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±1.8 MA: 18.6% |
24.2%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Waltham and Quincy 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 | #147 of 282 in MA | #217 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Quincy | Waltham |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | North Quincy High | Waltham Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
15.5Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.