Compare towns
Boxborough vs Hull vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boxborough has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Hull has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Boxborough | Hull | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,496Lowest |
10,138 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2% MA: +7.4% |
-2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±1.6Lowest 7% above MA |
56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.9 MA: 19.4% |
11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±4.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.1%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.6% MA: 47.3% |
50.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Boxborough and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $144,611±$35k 39% above MA |
$115,485±$14kLowest 11% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $706,900±$72k 26% above MA |
$646,000±$38kLowest 15% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,887±$173Lowest 7% above MA |
$2,081±$187 18% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Needham and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,089Lowest about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.8%±22.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.6% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±6.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 282 in MA | #66 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | — | Needham |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.