Compare towns
Framingham vs Salem 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 kids (21.7% under 18).
Salem has the most affordable homes ($543k median).
Beverly has the most homeowners (60.1%).
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 | Salem | Beverly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
44,795 |
42,665Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
39.3±1.5Highest about the MA average |
39±1.8 about the MA average |
| Salem and Beverly 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% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Framingham and Beverly 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% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Beverly and Salem 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% |
47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6kHighest 3% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$106,044±$7k about the MA average |
| Framingham and Beverly 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 |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$650,300±$13kHighest 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57Highest 15% above MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884Highest 15% above MA |
$6,114Lowest about the MA average |
$6,836 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Beverly and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
9.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
60.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 4% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Beverly and Salem 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Salem | Beverly |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Salem High | Beverly High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
9.8Lowest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.