What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).

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.

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

Measure	Wakefield	Framingham
People
Population	27,793Lowest	72,399Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA	37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA
Kids under 18	20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.7%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%
	Framingham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%	15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	48.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA	$107,419±$6kLowest 3% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA	$627,300±$10kLowest 12% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA	$2,033±$57Highest 15% above MA
	Framingham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,779Highest 30% above MA	$6,884Lowest 15% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	53.4%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Framingham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Lowest MA: 10%	10.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA	1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 14% above MA	30 minLowest 4% above MA
Work from home	24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%	19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Wakefield 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	#179 of 282 in MA	#229 of 282 in MA
School district	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield	Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational	Framingham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	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.