Compare towns
Boston vs Needham vs Ogunquit vs Milton
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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Needham | Ogunquit | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
32,459 |
1,379Lowest |
28,587 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
41.1±1.8 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.3%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Milton 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% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
71.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$188,529±$15k 134% above U.S. |
| Needham and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10kLowest 120% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$933,200±$31k 180% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25 52% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
— | $1,474±$281Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$9,677 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±20.9 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.7%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | — | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Needham | — | — |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Needham High | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
11.9Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.