Compare towns
Saugus vs Needham vs Dartmouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saugus has the most renters (28.5% rent).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Dartmouth has the most affordable homes ($497k 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 | Saugus | Needham | Dartmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,773Lowest |
32,459 |
33,328Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
42.5±2Lowest 6% above MA |
| Saugus and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.6%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Saugus and Dartmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
39% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,539±$3k about the MA average |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$99,839±$8kLowest 4% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$496,500±$20kLowest 12% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,241±$201 27% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,462±$159Lowest 17% below MA |
| Needham and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,049 about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,263Lowest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53%±9.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
54%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Dartmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
76% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #194 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #115 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Needham | Dartmouth |
| High school in town | — | Needham High | Dartmouth High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
11.9 |
| 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.