Compare towns
Warner vs Needham vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warner has the most renters (25.4% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Webster has the most homeowners (96%).
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 | Warner | Needham | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,959 |
32,459Highest |
2,227Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±4 12% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Webster and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8 U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Warner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,022±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$107,171±$14k 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,100±$22k 6% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$338,500±$30kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$123Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,396±$622 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,650 145% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,021Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.7%±21.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.6%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Kearsarge Regional School District | Needham | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.