Compare towns
Medford vs Somerville vs Framingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Medford has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Somerville has the most renters (65.8% rent).
Framingham has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
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 | Medford | Somerville | Framingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 59,354Lowest |
81,036Highest |
72,399 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% MA: +7.4% |
+7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.9±1 10% below MA |
31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA |
37.5±1Highest 6% below MA |
| Framingham and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.7%±1.3 MA: 19.4% |
9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.1%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Medford and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.8% MA: 47.3% |
69.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.5%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Somerville and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $129,540±$8k 25% above MA |
$132,572±$6kHighest 28% above MA |
$107,419±$6kLowest 3% above MA |
| Somerville and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $755,500±$23k 34% above MA |
$911,300±$26kHighest 62% above MA |
$627,300±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,509±$94 42% above MA |
$2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA |
$2,033±$57Lowest 15% above MA |
| Somerville and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,286 5% above MA |
$6,186Lowest 3% above MA |
$6,884Highest 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±4.9 MA: 51.8% |
36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.4%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 7.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.8% MA: 10% |
10.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.1% MA: 62.5% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
54.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942 22 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Somerville and Medford 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 | #203 of 282 in MA | #225 of 282 in MA | #229 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Medford | Somerville | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Medford High | Somerville High | Framingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
11.2 |
12.7Highest |
| 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.