Compare towns
Kingston vs Needham vs Kingston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kingston has the most renters (18.8% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 50.4).
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 | Kingston | Needham | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,027 |
32,459Highest |
5,910Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±3.9 16% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
50.4±3.4Highest 26% above MA |
| Kingston and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±3.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Kingston and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.6%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,876±$13kLowest 15% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$150,886±$30k 45% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $610,600±$30k 9% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$589,900±$36kLowest 5% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,159±$244Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,603±$539 9% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,650 28% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,660Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.7%±25.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 20% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.5%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.3%±5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #99 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #99 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Kingston · Silver Lake | Needham | — |
| High school in town | Silver Lake Regional High | Needham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
11.9Lowest |
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| 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.