Compare towns
Lynn vs Needham vs New Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lynn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
New Bedford has the most affordable homes ($357k 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 | Lynn | Needham | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 101,709Highest |
32,459Lowest |
100,998 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
37±0.8 8% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Needham and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
17%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,043±$3k 28% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $510,100±$23k 9% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,722±$60 about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,384 10% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,338Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynn and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946 18 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 8% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.9%±1 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #277 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lynn | — | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Lynn English High | — | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.0Highest |
— | 13.5Lowest |
| 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.