Compare towns
Needham vs Washington
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%).
Washington has the most affordable homes ($371k 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 | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 32,459Highest |
526Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
56.5±7.7Highest 41% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±5.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.4%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$95,278±$12kLowest 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$370,700±$32kLowest 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,409±$183 37% above MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,381Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% below MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±10.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Needham | — |
| High school in town | Needham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.