Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Needham vs Middleton
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 affordable homes ($624k median).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,845Lowest |
32,459Highest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2Lowest 7% above MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
43.1±2Highest 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Pinehurst and Middleton 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% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Pinehurst and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,250±$27kLowest 41% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22kLowest 11% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
| Needham and Pinehurst 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 |
$8,785 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Middleton |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.