Compare towns
Woburn vs Needham vs Framingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woburn has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Framingham has the most affordable homes ($627k 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 | Woburn | Needham | Framingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,939 |
32,459Lowest |
72,399Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.6 about the MA average |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Needham and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Framingham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,185±$9k 7% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$107,419±$6kLowest 3% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $673,500±$17k 20% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$627,300±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,221±$77 26% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,033±$57Lowest 15% above MA |
| Needham and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,884 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.5 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.4%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 13% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #169 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #229 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Woburn | Needham | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Woburn High | Needham High | Framingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
11.9 |
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.