Compare towns
Cornwall vs Needham vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most homeowners (94.3%).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Strafford has the most affordable homes ($431k 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 | Cornwall | Needham | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
32,459Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32k 42% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,000±$49k 38% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726Lowest 116% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham and Cornwall 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.