Compare towns
Dover vs Harvard vs Needham vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k 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 | Dover | Harvard | Needham | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,930Lowest |
6,927 |
32,459Highest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Dover and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62% MA: 47.3% |
81.9% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$213,996±$24k 106% above MA |
$214,308±$13k 106% above MA |
$147,125±$25kLowest 42% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$833,600±$54k 48% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43k 111% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
| Dover and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,321±$424 25% below MA |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Dover and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Harvard and Dover 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 | #1 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Harvard | Needham | Sutton |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | The Bromfield High School | Needham High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.0 |
11.9 |
12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.