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FRAMINGHAM – The City of Framingham has been named one of the 2021 Top 100 Best Places to Live by Livability.com, outpacing more than 1,000 cities with populations between 20,000 and 1 million in this data-driven ranking.

The Commonwealth’s newest city ranked #22. Framingham became a City on January 1, 2018.

“Framingham has all the makings of a perfectly situated city, providing the convenience of the nearby metropolis of Boston and the blissful security of a place that will feel like home to anyone. Blessed with New England beauty and charm, this college town boasts just under 73,000 residents and is particularly loved for its diverse population and dedicated civil servants. Whether you’re looking for terrific public schools, an exhilarating nightlife, or just an ideal place to raise a family, Framingham’s got it,” wrote Livability.com

The 2021 rankings were guided by an exclusive study conducted by Livability.com in partnership with Ipsos. More than 1,000 adults aged 18 and up from across the country were surveyed to determine which livability characteristics they value in their future communities.

Respondents were asked if they could work from anywhere, which factors would be most heavily considered when choosing to relocate and how housing needs and priorities have changed since the beginning of the pandemic.

Since March 2020, more than 42% of the U.S. population has either moved or considered moving.

This year, Livability partnered with Movoto by OJO to offer readers guidance for the next step in their journey – to determine the type of housing available in the ranked cities and at what price.


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“This year’s list is a testament to loving where you live, in a time where more of us than ever can live anywhere we want,” says Cara Sanders, Livability.com managing editor. “These past two years have shown us how important it is that the places we live meet our needs and offer up affordability, opportunity and plenty of amenities. If we can work from anywhere, then these 100 cities are places you would want to live and make remote workers’ needs a top priority.”

Some facts about Framingham noted by livability.com:

Top Colleges/Universities: Framingham State University (FSU)

Top Industries & Employers: Biotechnic, education, medical, office, and retail; Bose, Metrowest Medical Center, and Staples are major employers.

Weekend Plans: Go for a climb at Central Rock Gym, view a new exhibit and take an art class at The Danforth Art Museum (at FSU) or explore the delights of pick-your-own fruits and corn mazes at Hanson’s Farm.

Favorite Place to Feast: Legal Seafoods or Bella Costa 

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Beloved Beverage: The Nutella Nitro Coffee Float from J & M Diner

Outdoorsy Activity: The Cochituate Brook Reservation Trail is great for walking, jogging, or biking while surrounded by untouched nature and wildlife; (leashed) dogs are welcome anytime.

Why Your Pet Will Love It, Too: Cool off with your pup over at Mad Willie’s Ice Cream or with a pint at Exhibit “A” Brewing Company or spend the day playing fetch in Cushing Memorial Park.

Remote Work Perk: Metroworks Coworking Space is great for remote workers, though the Framingham Public Library is a great choice, too.

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One More Thing … Framingham, which was initially settled in 1650, was incorporated officially as a town in 1700 — meaning it was an established municipality a good 76 years before the United States was fully independent of Great Britain.

More than 1,000 cities with populations between 20,000 and 1,000,000 were ranked on 50 data points measuring economics, housing, amenities, infrastructure, demographics, social and civic capital, education and health care.

The nine scores were weighted based on an exclusive survey conducted for Livability.com by Ipsos Public Affairs, a leading global market research firm. Sources included the best public and private data available from organizations like the U.S. Census Bureau, Emsi and Esri.

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By editor

Susan Petroni is the former editor for SOURCE. She is the founder of the former news site, which as of May 1, 2023, is now a self-publishing community bulletin board. The website no longer has a journalist but a webmaster.