Compare towns
Needham vs Wakefield vs Boston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Wakefield has the most affordable homes ($724k median).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% 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 | Wakefield | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,459 |
27,793Lowest |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
| Needham and Wakefield 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% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield 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 MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
$731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,147±$25 22% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Boston 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% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Needham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | Needham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
10.7Lowest |
18.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.