Compare towns
Foxborough vs Needham vs Upton vs Wrentham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Foxborough has the most renters (26.3% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Wrentham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
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 | Foxborough | Needham | Upton | Wrentham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,615 |
32,459Highest |
8,189Lowest |
12,297 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9Lowest 6% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
46.8±3.2Highest 17% above MA |
| Wrentham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wrentham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.3% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,833±$9kLowest 11% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$151,676±$17k 46% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $606,300±$28k 8% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$654,900±$26k 17% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,843±$70 5% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,184±$628 33% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,275Lowest 21% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$7,373 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±13.7 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
40.6%±15.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
21.9%±4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #138 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #49 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Foxborough | Needham | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | King Philip · Wrentham |
| High school in town | Foxborough High | Needham High | Blackstone Valley | King Philip Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.9 |
11.2Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.