Compare towns
Boston vs Newton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Newton has the most homeowners (70%).
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 | Newton |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
89,044Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
42.1±0.9Highest 5% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±0.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
11.1%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$190,304±$9kHighest 83% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10kLowest 30% above MA |
$1,264,900±$43kHighest 125% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Lowest 22% above MA |
$2,370±$81Highest 35% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.3%±4.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Highest 17 yrs older than MA |
1942Lowest 22 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 4% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.2%±2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #258 of 282 in MA | #25 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Newton |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Newton North High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.