Compare towns
Boston vs Dover vs Needham vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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 the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
5,930 |
32,459 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
44.9±2.3 15% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3 U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
84.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13k 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10kLowest 120% above U.S. |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 303% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43k 257% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
| 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±$25Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$2,917±$2kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183 70% above U.S. |
— |
| 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 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34.2%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Dover 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 | — |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Needham | — |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Needham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
9.8Lowest |
11.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.