Population 72,399 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Framingham
Household size in Framingham
| Period | Framingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.45 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.46 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.65 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.20 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Framingham average 2.65 people, the same as the country as a whole. The typical household here is bigger than in the wider Boston area, where it has 2.55 people. Household size has climbed from 2.45 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Framingham
| Period | Framingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.9 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.0 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.4 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.1 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.2 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Framingham are younger than 39.1 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is younger than in the Boston area overall, where the median age is 40.8. Residents skew youngest in the southeast and oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Framingham
| Period | Framingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.4% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Framingham as they are nationally: 12.4%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the wider Boston area (9.7%). The single-parent share has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Framingham
Renters in Framingham
| Period | Framingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.8% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 44.5% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.1% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.2% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Framingham than nationally: 45.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 28.3% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southeast and least common in the north. The renter share is up 3.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Framingham
| Period | Framingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.2% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Framingham: 5.6% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The Boston area as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy is down 0.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Framingham
| Period | Framingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1961 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Framingham is a place of older homes: half were built before 1966, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1958 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the north.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Framingham
| Period | Framingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,126 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,199 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,461 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,011 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$885 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Framingham costs $2,011 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $885 a month from 2006–10, a 79% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.4% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Framingham
Bachelor's degrees in Framingham
| Period | Framingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.9% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 45.0% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.1% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 47.5% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Framingham is highly educated: nearly half of adults 25 and older (47.5%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Even so, the share is lower than in the Boston area as a whole (51.9%). The share with a degree is up 4.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Framingham
| Period | Framingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.8% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.0% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.2% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.2% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Framingham never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is down 3.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. Only 15 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Framingham
| Period | Framingham | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Framingham is close to the national rate: 4.9% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Framingham compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Framingham | 2.65 | 39.1 | 12.4% | 45.2% | 5.6% | 1966 | $2,011 | 47.5% | 86.2% | 4.9% |
| Natick | 2.44 | 43.5 | 5.8% | 32.1% | 4.9% | 1966 | $2,103 | 71.0% | 96.9% | 2.9% |
| Ashland | 2.47 | 41.7 | 4.9% | 24.5% | 6.4% | 1983 | $2,192 | 60.6% | 97.6% | 5.7% |
| Cochituate | 2.68 | 45.2 | 6.2% | 16.4% | 7.2% | 1958 | $2,118 | 75.6% | 95.6% | 3.0% |
| Fayville | 2.57 | 40.6 | 4.8% | 15.8% | 1.7% | 1960 | $1,760 | 73.0% | 97.0% | 5.7% |
| Sherborn | 2.91 | 43.0 | 1.8% | 10.5% | 6.2% | 1969 | $2,474 | 82.3% | 99.6% | 4.6% |
| Southborough | 2.78 | 42.7 | 5.9% | 12.3% | 4.9% | 1981 | $2,452 | 75.9% | 97.1% | 4.2% |
| Sudbury | 3.06 | 42.6 | 6.9% | 10.0% | 4.6% | 1977 | $1,526 | 83.4% | 98.7% | 4.1% |
| Wayland | 2.85 | 46.4 | 3.9% | 9.2% | 3.4% | 1968 | $1,635 | 80.3% | 98.8% | 4.2% |
| Holliston | 2.70 | 45.5 | 3.1% | 12.5% | 5.4% | 1970 | $1,631 | 66.1% | 96.7% | 4.3% |
| Southville | 2.74 | 41.4 | 4.4% | 20.7% | 1.2% | 1986 | $1,349 | 73.5% | 99.6% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Staten Island, NY · St. Petersburg, FL · St. Louis, MO · St. Peters, MO · South Gate, CA · Snellville, GA · San Tan Valley, AZ · Santa Fe, NM · Salem, OR · San Francisco, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Framingham. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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