Compare towns
Hill vs Needham vs Lempster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Lempster has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Hill | Needham | Lempster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 908Lowest |
32,459Highest |
953 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±6.8 26% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
50.8±7.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Lempster and Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 28.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hill and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lempster and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,125±$21kLowest about the U.S. average |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$86,607±$12k 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,700±$41k 6% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$241,900±$29kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,409±$183 70% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,933 58% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,558Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lempster and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Hill School District | — | Lempster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.