Compare towns
Needham vs Concord vs Marblehead
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%).
Concord has the most renters (24.3% rent).
Marblehead has the most affordable homes ($944k 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 | Concord | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,459Highest |
18,223Lowest |
20,413 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
47.6±2 19% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
| Marblehead and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.6%±2.6 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Concord and Marblehead 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 MA: 47.3% |
79.4% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Concord and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$195,350±$22k 88% above MA |
$182,132±$28kLowest 75% above MA |
| Needham and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,188,500±$43k 111% above MA |
$1,210,000±$72kHighest 115% above MA |
$943,900±$31kLowest 68% above MA |
| Concord and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$2,631±$166Highest 49% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
| Concord and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.2%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Concord 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Concord and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 282 in MA | #10 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Needham | Concord · Concord-Carlisle | Marblehead |
| High school in town | Needham High | Concord Carlisle High | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
11.4 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.