Compare towns
Holbrook vs Needham vs Townsend
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 most homeowners (84%).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k 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 | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,380 |
32,459Highest |
9,100Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.2 7% above MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Needham and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Holbrook 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%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Holbrook and Needham 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% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Holbrook 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 |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $465,400±$21k 17% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,094±$423Lowest 38% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,105 about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,031Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±18.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 min 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #234 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holbrook | Needham | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Holbrook Middle High School | Needham High | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
11.9Lowest |
13.1 |
| 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.