What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lynn has the most affordable homes ($510k median).

Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lynn	Needham
People
Population	101,709Highest	32,459Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+11.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA	43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA
Kids under 18	24.1%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	27.5%±2.2Highest 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%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	81.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±0.6 MA: 7.9%	5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA	$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$510,100±$23kLowest 9% below MA	$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,722±$60Lowest about the MA average	$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,384Lowest 10% below MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8%	55.9%±8.5Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA	1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 8% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%	32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#277 of 282 in MA	#19 of 282 in MA
School district	Lynn	Needham
High school in town	Lynn English High	Needham High
Students per teacherat that high school	15.0Highest	11.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.