Compare towns
Lawrence vs Needham vs Chelsea
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lawrence has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Chelsea has the most renters (74% rent).
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 | Lawrence | Needham | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 88,736Highest |
32,459Lowest |
39,908 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
34.4±1.3 14% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
24.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
22.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$72,179±$8k 31% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$493,500±$24k 12% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50Lowest 6% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,956±$96 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422 43% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,321Lowest 45% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.4%±5.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.6% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
20.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
26%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1941Lowest 23 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 21% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #278 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #280 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | — | Chelsea |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | — | Chelsea High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
— | 13.1Lowest |
| 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.