Compare towns
Beverly vs Needham vs Wenham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has the most renters (39.9% rent).
Needham has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Wenham has the youngest population (median age 29.3).
Wenham is a college town. 27.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Beverly | Needham | Wenham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,665Highest |
32,459 |
4,929Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8 about the MA average |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
29.3±9.3Lowest 27% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Beverly and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
70.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
27.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$194,781±$33k 87% above MA |
| Needham and Wenham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13kLowest 16% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$885,400±$48k 58% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836Lowest 14% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.3%±20.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1961 3 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 3% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±5.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Needham and Wenham 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 | #144 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #74 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Needham | Hamilton-Wenham |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
11.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.