Compare towns
Boston vs Dover vs Needham vs Milton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Milton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1945).
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 | Boston | Dover | Needham | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
5,930Lowest |
32,459 |
28,587 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
41.1±1.8 about the MA average |
| Dover and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Needham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
81.9% MA: 47.3% |
71.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$214,308±$13k 106% above MA |
$188,529±$15k 81% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10kLowest 30% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43k 111% above MA |
$933,200±$31k 66% above MA |
| Dover and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25 22% above MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA |
| Dover and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,677 61% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 17 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
29.7%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Dover 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 | #258 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Needham | Milton |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Needham High | Milton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
9.8Lowest |
11.9 |
12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.