Compare towns
Mashpee vs Needham vs Popponesset
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mashpee has the oldest population (median age 55.9).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
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 | Mashpee | Needham | Popponesset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,384 |
32,459Highest |
563Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
45.3±25 13% above MA |
| Mashpee and Popponesset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
5.9%±7.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24%±12.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Mashpee and Popponesset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
71.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.1%±3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,299±$13kLowest 8% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$102,357±$54k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $562,200±$29kLowest about the MA average |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$720,900±$324k 28% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,776±$330Lowest about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,762Lowest 37% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,200 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±14.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
100%±35.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 5.5% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.5%±3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
27.6%±33.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Needham and Popponesset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #100 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mashpee | — | — |
| High school in town | Mashpee Middle-High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6 |
— | — |
| 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.