Franklin vs Hopedale
marks the Massachusetts median on each scale. The better of the two is picked out where the gap is big enough to call; where neither is, they are level.
You are paying about $250k more for a 4BR in Franklin, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $250k for one tier of schooling.
Choose Franklin if you want the stronger schools of the two, or the commute matters most, or you want a train.
All Franklin numbers →Choose Hopedale if you want the lower price.
All Hopedale numbers →Side by side
Some rows have no better. Town character describes a place rather than ranking it, and per-pupil spending tracks need rather than results, so neither is picked out.
SchoolsFranklin ahead on 4 of 9
| Franklin | Hopedale | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | strong schoolsT2 | solid schoolsT3 |
| MCAS achievement | 80th | 63rd |
| Student growth | 52nd | 48th |
| Graduation rate | 97.7% | 96.8% |
| SchoolDigger rank | 64th of 361 | 161st of 361 |
| State accountability | Substantial progress toward targets | Moderate progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $19,413 | $19,165 |
| Schools in the district | 6 | 2 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 4 | 1 |
What a home costsHopedale ahead on 7 of 8, 1 against
| Franklin | Hopedale | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $850kT2 | $600kT2 |
| 3BR townhouse | $650k | $460k |
| 2BR condo | $480k | $340k |
| 3BR home | $665k | $517k |
| 5+ BR home | $958k | $789k |
| 3BR rent | $3,180/mo | $3,850/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $226k | $172k |
| 10-year price growth | 5.4% a year | 6.2% a year |
What you pay the townFranklin ahead on 1 of 4
| Franklin | Hopedale | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $11.42T2 | $16.25T4 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$9,700 | ≈$9,800 |
| Town spending per resident | $4,507 | $5,310 |
| Share of budget on schools | 54% | 47% |
Getting to workFranklin ahead on 2 of 3
| Franklin | Hopedale | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 62 minT4 | 66 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~62 min to terminal | No MBTA rail |
| Miles from downtown | 26 mi | 29 mi |
Before kindergartenFranklin ahead on 3 of 4
| Franklin | Hopedale | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 30 | 4 |
| Child care places | 1,445 | 145 |
| Centers vs family programs | 15 centers | 2 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 351 | 57 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Franklin | Hopedale | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,261 | 6,017 |
| Energy | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Compact center | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Family amenities | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Culture | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Gathering places | 8/10 | 6/10 |
The tax bill is each town’s own rate on its own median 4BR, so a lower rate does not always mean a lower bill. School tiers are editorial, shown beside the state’s own MCAS figures rather than derived from them.
Prices calibrated to Zillow ZHVI and Redfin · FY2026 residential tax rates · rail leg from the MBTA timetable, drive modeled · rents are HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs · reviewed · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.
