Compare towns
Needham vs Brookline vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most renters (53.1% rent).
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 | Brookline | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,459Lowest |
63,266Highest |
32,459Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 81.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$142,101±$8kLowest 37% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,188,500±$43kLowest 111% above MA |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kLowest 111% above MA |
| Brookline and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,409±$183Lowest 37% above MA |
$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$2,409±$183Lowest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 282 in MA | #22 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Needham | Brookline | — |
| High school in town | Needham High | Brookline High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
11.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.