Compare towns
Framingham vs Windham vs Beverly vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Framingham has the youngest population (median age 37.5).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Beverly has the most people working from home (22.3%).
Salem has the most affordable homes ($543k median).
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 | Windham | Beverly | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
16,038Lowest |
42,665 |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
39±1.8 about the U.S. average |
39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
11.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6k 33% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$106,044±$7k 31% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$650,300±$13k 95% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18kLowest 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57 44% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,771±$106Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 121% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,836 119% above U.S. |
$6,114Lowest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
60.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Beverly and Windham 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 | #144 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Windham School District | Beverly | Salem |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | Windham High School | Beverly High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.8Highest |
12.2 |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.