Compare towns
Holbrook vs Needham vs Charlton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holbrook has the youngest population (median age 42.8).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Charlton has the most affordable homes ($428k 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 | Holbrook | Needham | Charlton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,380Lowest |
32,459Highest |
13,435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.2Lowest 7% above MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
43±4 8% above MA |
| Needham and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±4.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
24.7%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Holbrook and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
37.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Charlton and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,210±$14kLowest 11% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$117,587±$8k 13% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $465,400±$21k 17% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$427,500±$19kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,094±$423Lowest 38% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,381±$415 22% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,105 about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,617Lowest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±18.7 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.3%±9.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
2.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
13%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #234 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #133 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holbrook | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg · Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School Distric |
| High school in town | Holbrook Middle High School | — | Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | 9.7Lowest |
| 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.