Compare towns
Needham vs Hebron
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 expensive homes ($1189k median).
Hebron has the most affordable homes ($207k 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 | Hebron |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 32,459Highest |
1,751Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
52.2±4.2Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$73,205±$4kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$206,800±$26kLowest 38% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,055±$120Lowest 25% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,183Lowest 34% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.7%±67.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Hebron are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| 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.