Compare towns
Monroe vs Needham vs Florida
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
Bordering MonroeRowe
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Monroe has the most affordable homes ($165k median).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Florida has the most homeowners (91.3%).
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 | Monroe | Needham | Florida |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 122Lowest |
32,459Highest |
668 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.2±9.9Highest 51% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
56.1±4.4 40% above MA |
| Monroe and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±28 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.1%±27.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Monroe and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±18.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Monroe and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$86,875±$17kLowest 16% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $165,000±$141kLowest 71% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$246,800±$19k 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$867±$256Lowest 51% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,053 66% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$1,894Lowest 68% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
16.7%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 38.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
91.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 56 minHighest 93% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 0%±41.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.4%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | — | Florida |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.