Compare towns
Needham vs Wakefield vs Upton
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 renters (29.3% rent).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k 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 | Wakefield | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,459Highest |
27,793 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Needham 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%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Upton 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% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Wakefield 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% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Wakefield 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 |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Needham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Needham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.2 |
| 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.