Compare towns
Needham vs Harpswell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Harpswell has the most affordable homes ($610k 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.
| Measure | Needham | Harpswell |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 32,459Highest |
5,046Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
62±1.5Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.8%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
38.6%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$96,250±$15kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$609,700±$60kLowest 83% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,348±$53Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,141Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.9%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.7%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.