Compare towns
Framingham vs Upton vs Beverly vs Wayland
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).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Beverly has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).
Wayland has the most people working from home (35.1%).
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 | Upton | Beverly | Wayland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
8,189Lowest |
42,665 |
13,914 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
39±1.8 about the MA average |
45±1.5 13% above MA |
| Upton and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Wayland and Upton 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%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
53.4% MA: 47.3% |
78.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$224,000±$28kHighest 115% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10k 12% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
$978,400±$36kHighest 74% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57Highest 15% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,771±$106 about the MA average |
$1,475±$603 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 15% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$6,836Lowest 14% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.8%±16Lowest 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% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
60.1% MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
35.1%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #229 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA | #18 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Beverly | Wayland |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Blackstone Valley | Beverly High | Wayland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.2 |
12.2 |
10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.