Compare towns
Cabot vs Needham vs Tunbridge vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cabot has the youngest population (median age 40.3).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Walden has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
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 | Cabot | Needham | Tunbridge | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,579 |
32,459Highest |
1,253 |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±6.6Lowest 4% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
42.7±8.3 10% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cabot and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,031±$16kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$89,464±$26k 11% above U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,500±$77k 19% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$315,300±$23k 5% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,243±$354 12% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,346±$128 5% below U.S. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,639 49% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,645 49% above U.S. |
$3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±26.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Tunbridge and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.8%±8.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham and Tunbridge 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 | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Needham | First Branch Unified School District #82 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | — | Needham High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.