What stands out worked out from the figures below

Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).

Ashby has the most affordable homes ($391k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Needham	Ashby
People
Population	32,459Highest	3,211Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA	50.5±3Highest 26% above MA
Kids under 18	27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%	17%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Ashby and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	81.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	43.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%	3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA	$115,598±$9kLowest 11% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA	$390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA	$1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$6,034Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8%	36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Needham and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Highest MA: 10%	2.6%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	95.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA	1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	33 minHighest 13% above MA
Work from home	32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%	17.8%±5.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#19 of 282 in MA	#200 of 282 in MA
School district	—	North Middlesex
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.