Compare towns
Chester vs Needham vs Erving
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Erving has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Chester | Needham | Erving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,240Lowest |
32,459Highest |
1,703 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.7Highest 15% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
43.3±2.4 8% above MA |
| Chester and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±8.5 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.3% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,390±$6k 14% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$77,656±$9kLowest 25% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $281,900±$14k 50% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$271,800±$20kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$71Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,163±$213 34% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,522 25% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$1,870Lowest 69% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±22.6 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.5%±23Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 7%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
3.6%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Gateway | Needham | Erving |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.