Compare towns
Burlington vs Needham vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burlington has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
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 | Burlington | Needham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,274Lowest |
32,459Highest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Burlington and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Burlington and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,436±$14k 41% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $740,600±$35k 32% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Burlington and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,165Lowest about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.2% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.5%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #83 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Burlington | Needham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Burlington High | Needham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.