Compare towns
Boston vs Needham vs Plainfield vs Brookline
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 highest household income ($214k).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($1247k median).
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 | Plainfield | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
32,459 |
15,141Lowest |
63,266 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
35.2±1.2 10% below U.S. |
| Needham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Needham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2k 21% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$142,101±$8k 76% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43k 257% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 275% above U.S. |
| Brookline 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 52% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183 70% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,835±$82Highest 101% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±4 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
46.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.1%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham and Brookline 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #22 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Needham | Plainfield School District | Brookline |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Needham High | Plainfield High School | Brookline High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
11.9 |
10.3Lowest |
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.