Compare towns
Framingham vs Reading vs Beverly
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).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Beverly has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).
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 | Reading | Beverly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
25,612Lowest |
42,665 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
39±1.8 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading 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 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Beverly 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57Highest 15% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
| Framingham and Reading 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$6,836Lowest 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Beverly 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
60.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #229 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | — | Beverly |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | — | Beverly High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| 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.