Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Needham vs Winchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k 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 | Brooklyn | Needham | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,517Lowest |
32,459Highest |
10,284 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,538Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,780 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 149 in CT | #19 of 282 in MA | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | Needham | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Highest |
9.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.