February 13, 2005

MORE Above: 190 Old Connectivut Path, a two-bedroom, one-bath home, is listed at $299,000. Also shown is 618 Grove St., a six-bedroom, 3.5 bath home on 16 acres, is listed at $1.6 million. (Globe photos) More: Miles from Boston: 20 Population: 66,910 Median house price: $361,900 (2004) Tax rate: $11.79 Transportation: Routes 9, 30, 126, 135; Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90); member, MBTA; The RIDE and LIFT. MCAS: Framingham's public school system ranked 227th out of 373 systems statewide, just behind Norton, according to a Boston Globe analysis of 2004 MCAS results. Census facts: Median family income is $67,420, compared to national rate of $50,046, and 42 percent held a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to national rate of 24 percent. Website: www.framinghamma.org More community snapshots More community information RESOURCES For Sale: Homes | Condos | Open Houses For Rent: Apartments | Houses | Roommates Vacation rentals Place an ad: On Boston.com | In the Globe Commercial: Search listings for sale or rent

FRAMINGHAM -- This is a town masquerading as a city.

Nearly 67,000 people live here, several companies have their headquarters here -- notably TJX Cos. and Staples Inc. -- and some of the region's largest malls are within, or near, its borders.

''There is something here for everyone," said Town Manager George P. King Jr. According to the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, 33 percent of residents live and work in town, and 11 percent make the daily commute into Boston.

Over the years, Framingham officials have preserved 3,402 acres of land, including Callahan State Park, an 820-acre, day-use area in the western part of town. While media attention during major storms has made the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency's control ''bunker" familiar to many, this town also hosts the MetroWest Medical Center and Framingham State College.

King called Framingham a diverse community with a substantial Brazilian population whose members have helped to rejuvenate the downtown by opening small businesses.

Framingham has an elected town meeting form of government, and King said some precincts, those with a large number of rental properties, are lacking a full complement of representatives. Although there have been past efforts to change the town into a city, King said there is no such effort now underway.

Realtor.com recently listed 90 single-family homes, ranging from $299,000 for a two-bedroom, one-bath, 1,064-square-foot home to $1.6 million for a six-bedroom, 3½-bath, 4,766-square-foot home on 16 acres.

Framingham may be known for its shopping centers -- the town was the first in New England to host a mall when the original, domed Shoppers World opened in the 1950s -- but, said King, ''There is really a lot more to Framingham" than most outsiders realize.

JOHN ELLEMENT
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