Compare towns
Pascoag vs Needham vs Harrisville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pascoag has the youngest population (median age 39.1).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Harrisville has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Pascoag | Needham | Harrisville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,410 |
32,459Highest |
1,767Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.1±3.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
48.1±21.7Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Harrisville and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±10.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Pascoag are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
36.8%±8.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±3.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Harrisville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,369±$34k 50% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$62,535±$22kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,000±$47k 10% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$355,000±$24kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,319±$444 7% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,094±$589Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,395 41% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,740Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±27.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±39.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harrisville and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
44 minHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| 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.