Compare towns
Woburn vs Windsor Locks vs Reading 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
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Framingham has the youngest population (median age 37.5).
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 | Windsor Locks | Reading | Framingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 41,939 |
12,579Lowest |
25,612 |
72,399Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.6 about the U.S. average |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
37.5±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Reading and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Framingham and Windsor Locks 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 38% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$107,419±$6k 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $673,500±$17k 102% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$627,300±$10k 89% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,221±$77Highest 57% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,991±$273 41% above U.S. |
$2,033±$57 44% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,354 72% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$6,884 121% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
54.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #169 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #50 of 282 in MA | #229 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Woburn | Windsor Locks School District | Reading | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Woburn High | Windsor Locks High School | Reading Memorial High | Framingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
8.9Lowest |
12.1 |
12.7Highest |
| 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.