What stands out worked out from the figures below

Harwich has the most affordable homes ($659k median).

Needham has the most kids (27.5% under 18).

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	Harwich	Needham
People
Population	13,598Lowest	32,459Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	58.6±1.5Highest 47% above MA	43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA
Kids under 18	11.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	35.8%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9%	17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%	81.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,966±$13kLowest 7% below MA	$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$658,600±$26kLowest 17% above MA	$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,017±$738Lowest 14% above MA	$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA
	Needham and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,189Lowest 30% below MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.7%±24.4Highest MA: 51.8%	55.9%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Harwich and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 14% below MA	28 minHighest 5% below MA
Work from home	17.3%±4.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#157 of 282 in MA	#19 of 282 in MA
School district	Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical	Needham
High school in town	Monomoy Regional High School	Needham High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Lowest	11.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	6 photos →	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.