Compare towns
Malden vs Needham vs Medford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Malden has the most renters (58.7% rent).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Medford has the oldest housing (typical home built 1942).
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 | Malden | Needham | Medford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 65,906Highest |
32,459Lowest |
59,354 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.8±1Lowest 11% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
35.9±1 10% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Needham and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Medford and Malden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,606±$6kLowest 3% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$129,540±$8k 25% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $633,500±$26kLowest 13% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$755,500±$23k 34% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,204±$62Lowest 25% above MA |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$2,509±$94Highest 42% above MA |
| Medford and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,995Lowest 17% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,286 5% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±4.6 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.1%±4.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Malden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1942Lowest 22 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #184 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #203 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Malden | — | Medford |
| High school in town | Malden High | — | Medford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.1Highest |
— | 9.2Lowest |
| 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.