Compare towns
Natick vs Suffield vs Arlington vs Framingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Arlington has the most people working from home (34.5%).
Framingham has the most renters (45.2% rent).
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 | Natick | Suffield | Arlington | Framingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 36,873 |
15,702Lowest |
46,350 |
72,399Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.4 11% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.6±1.3 7% above U.S. |
37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Suffield and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Framingham and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Natick and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
76.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Framingham and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $138,538±$11k 72% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$150,701±$5kHighest 87% above U.S. |
$107,419±$6kLowest 33% above U.S. |
| Arlington and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $821,000±$25k 147% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$933,800±$23kHighest 181% above U.S. |
$627,300±$10k 89% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,134±$124Highest 51% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,082±$76 47% above U.S. |
$2,033±$57 44% above U.S. |
| Natick and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,914 186% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$9,604Highest 208% above U.S. |
$6,884 121% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±6.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
35%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±5.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Framingham and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
61.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
54.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.1%±1.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #48 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #29 of 282 in MA | #229 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Natick | Suffield School District | Arlington | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Natick High | Suffield High School | Arlington High | Framingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
10.9Lowest |
13.6Highest |
12.7 |
| 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.