Compare towns
Needham vs Richmond
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Richmond has the most affordable homes ($585k 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 | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 32,459Highest |
1,403Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
62.1±3Highest 55% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
37.8%±1.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
67.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$106,250±$24kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$584,500±$51kLowest 4% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,593±$299Lowest 10% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,575Lowest 7% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
14%±36.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.2%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 minHighest 5% below MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
| Work from home | 32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Richmond |
| 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.