Compare towns
Hudson vs Needham vs Wakefield vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hudson has the most affordable homes ($497k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Berlin has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
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 | Hudson | Needham | Wakefield | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,077 |
32,459Highest |
27,793 |
3,378Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+10.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7 7% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
48.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,400±$13kLowest about the MA average |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$121,336±$12k 17% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$616,600±$55k 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
| Berlin and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892Lowest 15% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$7,116 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
34 minHighest 17% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Needham and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #61 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Needham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Needham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
11.9Highest |
10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.