Compare towns
Dover vs Wakefield vs Needham vs Bolton
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).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Needham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Bolton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.7%).
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 | Wakefield | Needham | Bolton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,930 |
27,793 |
32,459Highest |
5,737Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+15.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
41.2±1.7Lowest 3% above MA |
| Dover and Needham 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% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
25%±3.9 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% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield 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% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9% MA: 47.3% |
81.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.5Lowest 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 |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$214,308±$13k 106% above MA |
$205,449±$31k 98% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43k 111% above MA |
$796,000±$49k 42% above 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 |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$1,583±$1kLowest 10% 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 |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
12.7%±45.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Wakefield 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% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
94.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
40.5%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Bolton 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #28 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Needham | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Needham High | Nashoba Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.7 |
11.9 |
12.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 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.