Compare towns
Andover vs Winchester vs Reading vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Winchester has the highest household income ($230k).
Reading has the most affordable homes ($809k median).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Andover | Winchester | Reading | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 36,652Highest |
23,406Lowest |
25,612 |
32,459 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1 7% above MA |
42.5±1.9Lowest 6% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
| Reading and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
27.6%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Winchester and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18%±2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.6% MA: 47.3% |
79.5% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,606±$16k 66% above MA |
$230,198±$21kHighest 121% above MA |
$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA |
$214,308±$13k 106% above MA |
| Winchester and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $855,600±$22k 52% above MA |
$1,215,200±$39kHighest 116% above MA |
$809,000±$22kLowest 44% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43k 111% above MA |
| Winchester and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,201±$129 25% above MA |
$2,279±$481 29% above MA |
$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Needham and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,320Lowest 56% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±7.7 MA: 51.8% |
39.3%±13.3 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 30.4%±2.1 MA: 18.6% |
33.8%±3Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Winchester and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #68 of 282 in MA | #11 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Winchester | Reading | Needham |
| High school in town | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Winchester High School | Reading Memorial High | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
14.8Highest |
12.1 |
11.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.