Compare towns
Middleborough vs Needham vs Carver
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleborough has the most renters (23.1% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Carver has the most affordable homes ($434k 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 | Middleborough | Needham | Carver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,505 |
32,459Highest |
11,712Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±2.1 9% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
45.9±3.5Highest 15% above MA |
| Carver and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Carver and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
28.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Carver are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,056±$7k 7% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$91,250±$23kLowest 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,700±$18k 17% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$434,200±$21kLowest 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,706±$72Lowest 3% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,827±$345 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,023Lowest about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,455 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.2%±11.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
55%±23.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Middleborough and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
88.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #170 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #237 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleborough | — | Carver |
| High school in town | Middleborough High | — | Carver Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
— | 9.7Lowest |
| 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.