Compare towns
Boston vs Needham vs Wakefield vs Brookline
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).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Wakefield has the most affordable homes ($724k 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 | Wakefield | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
32,459 |
27,793Lowest |
63,266 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
35.2±1.2 12% below MA |
| Needham and Wakefield 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield and Needham 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% |
81.9% MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$142,101±$8k 37% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43k 111% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
| 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 22% above MA |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±4 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
8.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
46.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 17 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
30.1%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #22 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Needham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Brookline |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Needham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Brookline High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
11.9 |
10.7Lowest |
11.9 |
| 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.