What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has the most renters (53.1% rent).

Needham has the most homeowners (83.1%).

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	Brookline	Needham
People
Population	63,266Highest	32,459Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA	43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA
Kids under 18	18.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	15.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	Needham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	85.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	81.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$142,101±$8kLowest 37% above MA	$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA	$1,188,500±$43kLowest 111% 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	$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA	$2,409±$183Lowest 37% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+ at least 67% above MA	$10,000+ at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±4Lowest MA: 51.8%	55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Needham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.7%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 7% below MA	28 minHighest 5% below MA
Work from home	30.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	32.4%±2.4Highest 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	#22 of 282 in MA	#19 of 282 in MA
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.