Compare towns
Richmond vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Richmond has the most affordable homes ($585k median).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Richmond | Needham |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,403Lowest |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 62.1±3Highest 55% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 12.4%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 37.8%±1.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $106,250±$24kLowest about the MA average |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $584,500±$51kLowest 4% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,593±$299Lowest 10% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,575Lowest 7% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14%±36.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Richmond | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.