Compare towns
Middleborough vs Needham vs Saugus
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 affordable homes ($469k median).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Saugus has the most renters (28.5% rent).
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 | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,505Lowest |
32,459Highest |
28,773 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±2.1 9% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
44.5±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Saugus 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% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Saugus 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% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,056±$7kLowest 7% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$101,539±$3k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,700±$18kLowest 17% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,706±$72Lowest 3% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,241±$201 27% above MA |
| Needham and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,023Lowest about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,049 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.2%±11.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.9% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 13.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #170 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleborough | Needham | Saugus |
| High school in town | Middleborough High | Needham High | Saugus High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
11.9 |
15.5Highest |
| 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.