Compare towns
Lee vs Wakefield vs Needham vs Dalton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Wakefield has the youngest population (median age 42.4).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Lee | Wakefield | Needham | Dalton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,719Lowest |
27,793 |
32,459Highest |
6,256 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
49.7±5.8 24% above MA |
| Lee and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Lee and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,750±$13k 19% below MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,700±$19k 37% below MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$212 22% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,276 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.3%±21.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lee and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.1% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 38% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
22 min 24% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.4%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #209 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #192 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lee | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Needham | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | Lee Middle/High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Needham High | Wahconah Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
10.7 |
11.9Highest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 20 photos → | 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.