Compare towns
Ogunquit 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
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Wakefield has the most affordable homes ($724k median).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
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 | Ogunquit | Wakefield | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,379Lowest |
27,793 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $114,259±$56kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kLowest 117% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,958±$102Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±61.1Lowest 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 | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older 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 | 43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 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 | — | #179 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | — |
| High school in town | — | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.