What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k median).

Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Webster	Needham
People
Population	17,748Lowest	32,459Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average	43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA
	Needham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Webster and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	81.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Webster and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA	$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA	$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA	$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Needham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.7%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA	1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 5% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#271 of 282 in MA	#19 of 282 in MA
School district	Webster	Needham
High school in town	Bartlett High School	Needham High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Lowest	11.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.