Compare towns
Woburn vs Salem 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).
Salem has the most affordable homes ($543k median).
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 | Woburn | Salem | Framingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,939Lowest |
44,795 |
72,399Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.6Highest about the MA average |
39.3±1.5Highest about the MA average |
37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Salem 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% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
48.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,185±$9kHighest 7% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
| Woburn and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $673,500±$17kHighest 20% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$627,300±$10k 12% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,221±$77Highest 26% above MA |
$1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA |
$2,033±$57 15% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
$6,884Highest 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
53.4%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Woburn and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
10.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
54.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 13% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Salem 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 | #169 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #229 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Woburn | Salem | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Woburn High | Salem High | Framingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
9.8Lowest |
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.