Compare towns
Springfield vs Needham vs Lowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
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 | Springfield | Needham | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
32,459Lowest |
118,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
35.6±0.8 11% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±0.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$78,658±$4k 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$429,200±$11k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,625±$40 8% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,499 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 31% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
28 minHighest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±1.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #276 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | Needham | Lowell |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | Needham High | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
11.9Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.