Compare towns
Moretown vs Needham vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Moretown has the most affordable homes ($381k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Waterbury has the most renters (29.4% 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 | Moretown | Needham | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,532Lowest |
32,459Highest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±3.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
| Moretown and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waterbury and Moretown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,423±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $380,800±$36kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40k 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $838±$462Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,027±$535 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,506Lowest 77% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.1%±14.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham and Waterbury 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 | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Needham | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | None in town |
| 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.