Compare towns
Newfields vs Wakefield vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newfields has the most homeowners (95.3%).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Newfields | Wakefield | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,023Lowest |
27,793 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±1.8Highest 13% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 68.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $197,885±$15k 145% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kLowest 66% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Needham and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,400±$34kLowest 94% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,875±$323Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,779Lowest 149% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.5%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #179 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Newfields School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Needham |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.