What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dudley has the most affordable homes ($393k median).

Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dudley	Needham
People
Population	11,929Lowest	32,459Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average	43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA
	Needham and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	Needham and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	81.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA	$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$392,600±$19kLowest 30% below MA	$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA	$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,691Lowest 38% below MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Needham and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA	1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 6% below MA	28 minHighest 5% below MA
Work from home	9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#142 of 282 in MA	#19 of 282 in MA
School district	Dudley-Charlton Reg	Needham
High school in town	Shepherd Hill Regional High	Needham High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3Highest	11.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.