Compare towns
Lowell vs Needham vs Tewksbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Tewksbury has the oldest population (median age 46.1).
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 | Lowell | Needham | Tewksbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,368Highest |
32,459 |
31,273Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
46.1±2.5Highest 15% above MA |
| Tewksbury and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.3 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Tewksbury and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$128,061±$12k 23% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,200±$11kLowest 24% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$573,600±$16k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$40Lowest 8% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,310±$200 31% above MA |
| Needham and Tewksbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,499Lowest 25% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,580 27% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
58.9%±14.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Tewksbury and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
84.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.4%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #255 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #103 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lowell | Needham | Tewksbury |
| High school in town | Lowell High | Needham High | Tewksbury Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
11.9Lowest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.