Compare towns
Framingham vs Salem vs Salisbury
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 renters (50.3% rent).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
44,795 |
9,281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Salem 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±$6kHighest 3% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10kHighest 12% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$478,700±$27kLowest 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57Highest 15% above MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$1,691±$411Lowest 4% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884Highest 15% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
$4,604Lowest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury 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% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 4% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Salem and Salisbury 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 | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Salem | Triton |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
9.8Lowest |
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| 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.