Compare towns
Gill vs Needham vs Montague
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gill has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Montague has the most renters (37.3% rent).
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 | Gill | Needham | Montague |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,740Lowest |
32,459Highest |
8,482 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±3.1Highest 11% above MA |
| Montague and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±8.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±2.8Lowest 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+ | 21.1%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Montague and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
37.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.3Lowest 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 | $90,208±$14k 13% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$70,510±$12kLowest 32% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,100±$17k 39% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$282,100±$17kLowest 50% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$246Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,207±$115 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,318 28% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,922Lowest 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±10.4 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Montague and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 29% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
21 min 28% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #265 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gill-Montague | — | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Franklin County Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7 |
| 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.