Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Needham vs Halifax vs Billerica
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pinehurst has the most homeowners (97.4%).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Halifax has the most affordable homes ($482k median).
Billerica has the most renters (20.6% 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 | Pinehurst | Needham | Halifax | Billerica |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,845Lowest |
32,459 |
7,748 |
42,003Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2 7% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
41.9±4.7Lowest 5% above MA |
43.3±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
| Billerica and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
18%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
18%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Pinehurst and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Billerica and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $146,250±$27k 41% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$118,556±$11kLowest 14% above MA |
$148,200±$8k 43% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22k 11% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$481,500±$51kLowest 14% below MA |
$612,000±$13k 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,804±$375Lowest about the MA average |
$2,282±$173 30% above MA |
| Needham and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,316Lowest 5% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,840 14% above MA |
$6,358 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
42.3%±8.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.9% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
79.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 7% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.5%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #120 of 282 in MA | #146 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Halifax | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | Billerica Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 14.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.