What stands out worked out from the figures below

Medfield has the most affordable homes ($911k median).

Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).

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.

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

Measure	Medfield	Needham
People
Population	13,068Lowest	32,459Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±3Lowest 6% above MA	43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA
	Needham and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	28.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4%	27.5%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Medfield and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	Needham and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	78.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	81.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.7%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$235,800±$32kHighest 127% above MA	$214,308±$13kLowest 106% above MA
	Medfield and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$911,100±$32kLowest 62% above MA	$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,035±$559Lowest 15% above MA	$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA
	Needham and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+ at least 67% above MA	$10,000+ at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	63.1%±20.9Highest MA: 51.8%	55.9%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Medfield and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.1%Lowest MA: 10%	3.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA	1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 9% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	36.6%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6%	32.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Medfield and Needham 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	#26 of 282 in MA	#19 of 282 in MA
School district	Medfield	Needham
High school in town	Medfield Senior High	Needham High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.7Highest	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.