Compare towns
Cochituate vs Needham vs Southborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cochituate has the most people working from home (36.9%).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Southborough has the most affordable homes ($821k 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 | Cochituate | Needham | Southborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,471Lowest |
32,459Highest |
10,493 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 15% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
43.6±1.7 9% above MA |
| Cochituate and Southborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
27%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Southborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
13.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Cochituate and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 77% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
76.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Southborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $192,361±$18kLowest 85% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$196,808±$16k 89% above MA |
| Needham and Southborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $906,300±$42k 61% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$821,100±$51kLowest 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,582±$649Lowest 10% below MA |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$2,496±$309Highest 42% above MA |
| Southborough and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.2%±14.9 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
32%±15Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Cochituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.6% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.9%±5.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
31%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Cochituate and Needham 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 | #8 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Needham | Southborough |
| High school 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.