Compare towns
Conway vs Deerfield vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Conway has the most homeowners (93.4%).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Conway | Deerfield | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,755Lowest |
5,158 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.6±3Highest 39% above MA |
51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Conway and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 31.9%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.5% MA: 47.3% |
44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,250±$11kLowest 6% below MA |
$106,136±$14k about the MA average |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,900±$25kLowest 30% below MA |
$414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$990 about the MA average |
$1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Needham and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,797Lowest 3% below MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.9%±33.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.4% MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 18% below MA |
18 minLowest 40% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 29.1%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Needham and Conway 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 | — | #156 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Conway | Deerfield · Frontier | Needham |
| High school in town | None in town | Frontier Regional | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.