Compare towns
Canton vs Everett vs Needham vs Natick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Everett has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Natick has the oldest population (median age 43.3).
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 | Canton | Everett | Needham | Natick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748Lowest |
50,045Highest |
32,459 |
36,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
43.3±1.4Highest 8% above MA |
| Natick and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Natick and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
70.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$138,538±$11k 33% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$610,000±$23kLowest 9% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$821,000±$25k 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$2,076±$69Lowest 18% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,134±$124 21% above MA |
| Needham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560 9% above MA |
$4,880Lowest 19% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,914 49% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Everett | Needham | Natick |
| High school in town | Canton High | Everett High | Needham High | Natick High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
12.1 |
11.9Lowest |
12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.