What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boylston has the most affordable homes ($579k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Boylston	Needham
People
Population	4,948Lowest	32,459Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+11.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA	43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA
Kids under 18	18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9%	17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Boylston 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%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Needham and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$140,962±$28kLowest 36% above MA	$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$578,600±$47kLowest about the MA average	$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,032±$350Lowest 15% above MA	$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA
	Needham and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,266Lowest 21% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Needham and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA	1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 8% below MA	28 minHighest 5% below MA
Work from home	22.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#72 of 282 in MA	#19 of 282 in MA
School district	Berlin-Boylston	Needham
High school in town	Tahanto Regional High	Needham High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	11.9Highest
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.