Compare towns
Erving vs Gill vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Erving has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Gill has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Erving | Gill | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,703Lowest |
1,740 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.4% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±2.4 8% above MA |
43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Gill and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±8.7 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.1%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Erving and Gill 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% |
42.3% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Gill and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,656±$9kLowest 25% below MA |
$90,208±$14k 13% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,800±$20kLowest 52% below MA |
$340,100±$17k 39% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,163±$213Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,193±$246 32% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,870Lowest 69% below MA |
$4,318 28% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.5%±23Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.7%±10.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Gill and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% below MA |
21 minLowest 29% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 3.6%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±8 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Erving | Gill-Montague | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.