Compare towns
Spencer vs Needham vs Palmer Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Spencer has the most renters (37% rent).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Spencer | Needham | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,008Lowest |
32,459Highest |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.8Highest 22% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
47.8±5.6 20% above MA |
| Spencer and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Spencer and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,533±$11k 23% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$78,480±$8kLowest 25% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,000±$22k 32% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,078±$161 39% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,075±$103Lowest 39% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,387Lowest 27% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,540 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±10.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 15%±7.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #261 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Spencer-E Brookfield | Needham | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | David Prouty High | Needham High | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
11.9Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.