Compare towns
Northampton vs Ogunquit vs Needham vs Norwood
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northampton has the most affordable homes ($430k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Norwood has the most renters (46% 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 | Northampton | Ogunquit | Needham | Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 30,962 |
1,379Lowest |
32,459Highest |
31,542 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2 6% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$107,030±$11k 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$651,700±$13k 96% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75Lowest about the U.S. average |
— | $2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$2,116±$83 50% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,680 82% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,111 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.3%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northampton and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
54%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | #159 of 282 in MA | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #176 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | — | — | Norwood |
| High school in town | Northampton High | — | — | Norwood High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | — | 11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.