Compare towns
Foxborough vs Upton vs Needham
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).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
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 | Foxborough | Upton | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,615 |
8,189Lowest |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9Lowest 6% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
| Upton and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Needham 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% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Foxborough 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 |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $606,300±$28k 8% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,843±$70 5% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,275Lowest 21% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±13.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #138 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Foxborough | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Needham |
| High school in town | Foxborough High | Blackstone Valley | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.2Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.