What stands out worked out from the figures below

Framingham has the most renters (45.2% rent).

Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Framingham	Windham
People
Population	72,399Highest	16,038Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S.	41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S.
	Windham and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Windham and Framingham 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 U.S.: 35.7%	62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.5%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,419±$6kLowest 33% above U.S.	$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$627,300±$10kLowest 89% above U.S.	$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,033±$57Lowest 44% above U.S.	$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,884Lowest 121% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±5.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Framingham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	54.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.	1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 15% above U.S.	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Windham and Framingham 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	#13 of 120 in NH
School district	Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical	Windham School District
High school in town	Framingham High School	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.7Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.