Compare towns
Lenox vs Needham vs Lenox Dale
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lenox has the oldest population (median age 60.1).
Needham has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
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 | Lenox | Needham | Lenox Dale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,079 |
32,459Highest |
29Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 60.1±4.3Highest 50% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
48.9±17.5 22% above MA |
| Lenox and Lenox Dale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 40.1%±7.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
0%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
0%±68.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,080±$31kLowest about the MA average |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
— |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $466,700±$43kLowest 17% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
— |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,091±$238Lowest 38% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,299Lowest 12% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
— |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.2%±18.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
— |
| Needham and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.5% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
100%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
— |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
— |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 22% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
— |
| Work from home | 18.3%±8.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
— |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #90 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Lenox | — | — |
| High school in town | Lenox Memorial High | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.6 |
— | — |
| 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.