Compare towns
Melrose vs Ogunquit vs Needham vs Natick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Melrose has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Natick has the most affordable homes ($821k 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 | Melrose | Ogunquit | Needham | Natick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 29,650 |
1,379Lowest |
32,459 |
36,873Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±1.1 12% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.3±1.4 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $133,953±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$138,538±$11k 72% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $822,900±$20k 147% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$821,000±$25kLowest 147% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,970±$149Lowest 39% above U.S. |
— | $2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$2,134±$124 51% above U.S. |
| Needham and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,578 143% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,914 186% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±6.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit 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 | #62 of 282 in MA | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Melrose | — | Needham | Natick |
| High school in town | Melrose High | — | Needham High | Natick High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.9Lowest |
12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.