Compare towns
Saugus vs Needham vs Middleborough
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%).
Middleborough has the most affordable homes ($469k 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 | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,773 |
32,459Highest |
24,505Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
43.4±2.1 9% above MA |
| Saugus and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Saugus and Middleborough 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% |
32% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,539±$3k about the MA average |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$97,056±$7kLowest 7% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$468,700±$18kLowest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,241±$201 27% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,706±$72Lowest 3% 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 |
$6,023Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53%±9.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
57.2%±11.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Middleborough and Needham 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% |
6.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
76.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #194 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Saugus | Needham | Middleborough |
| High school in town | Saugus High | Needham High | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.5Highest |
11.9 |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.