Compare towns
Needham vs Boston vs Windsor Locks
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 highest household income ($214k).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k 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 | Boston | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,459 |
666,442Highest |
12,579Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
| Needham and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor Locks 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$97,344±$2k 21% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$2,147±$25 52% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,456 43% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Needham 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% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Highest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Needham | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Needham High | Boston Latin School | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
18.7Highest |
8.9Lowest |
| 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.