Compare towns
Raymond vs Needham vs Jaffrey
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Raymond has the most homeowners (85.8%).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Jaffrey has the most affordable homes ($246k 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 | Raymond | Needham | Jaffrey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,900 |
32,459Highest |
5,448Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±3.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
42.9±3.9Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Raymond and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Jaffrey and Raymond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Raymond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,597±$10k 30% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$92,330±$18kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $370,400±$17k 11% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$245,500±$27kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,376±$196 about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$962±$202Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,146Lowest 97% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,196 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.1%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±23 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #96 of 120 in NH | #19 of 282 in MA | #87 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Raymond School District | Needham | Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Raymond High School | Needham High | Conant Middle High School (H) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
11.9 |
21.3Highest |
| 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.