Compare towns
Montgomery vs Needham vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Montgomery has the oldest population (median age 51.5).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Montgomery | Needham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,047Lowest |
32,459Highest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.5±11.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
| Montgomery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 33.9%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,289±$24kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,200±$45k about the U.S. average |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $868±$209Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,326Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.6%±68Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Montgomery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Needham | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.