What stands out worked out from the figures below

Eastham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.1%).

Needham has the highest household income ($214k).

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	Eastham	Needham
People
Population	5,811Lowest	32,459Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+11.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	60.4±2.5Highest 51% above MA	43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA
Kids under 18	12.5%±3Lowest MA: 19.4%	27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	40.9%±6Highest MA: 17.9%	17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	81.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,992±$8kLowest 30% below MA	$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$732,200±$63kLowest 30% above MA	$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,747±$101Lowest about the MA average	$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,973Lowest 17% below MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	83.8%±77.7Highest MA: 51.8%	55.9%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Eastham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.7%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 36% below MA	28 minHighest 5% below MA
Work from home	20.4%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#17 of 282 in MA	#19 of 282 in MA
School district	Eastham · Nauset	Needham
High school in town	Nauset Regional High	Needham High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	11.9Highest
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.