What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hatfield has the most homeowners (74.6%).

Framingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).

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	Hatfield	Framingham
People
Population	3,325Lowest	72,399Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.8±5Highest 17% above MA	37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA
Kids under 18	14%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.7%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	23.3%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9%	15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	48.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
	Framingham and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$89,005±$25kLowest 14% below MA	$107,419±$6kHighest 3% above MA
	Framingham and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$440,800±$26kLowest 22% below MA	$627,300±$10kHighest 12% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA	$2,033±$57Highest 15% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,930Lowest 18% below MA	$6,884Highest 15% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	53.4%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Framingham and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Lowest MA: 10%	10.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.6%Highest MA: 62.5%	54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA	1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 30% below MA	30 minHighest 4% above MA
Work from home	16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Framingham and Hatfield 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	#198 of 282 in MA	#229 of 282 in MA
School district	Hatfield	Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Smith Academy	Framingham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	6.1Lowest	12.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.