Compare towns
Quinebaug vs Needham vs Thompson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Quinebaug has the most affordable homes ($238k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
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 | Quinebaug | Needham | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,193Lowest |
32,459Highest |
9,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 56.5±1Highest 45% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2 39% above U.S. |
| Quinebaug and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 0%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±9.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Quinebaug and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 10.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,181±$36k 30% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $237,800±$66kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,703Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,822 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Highest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.3%±17.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham and Quinebaug 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 | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | — | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | — | — | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.9 |
| 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.