Compare towns
Westbrook vs Needham vs Portland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Portland has the most renters (53.1% 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 | Westbrook | Needham | Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,775Lowest |
32,459 |
68,854Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.4±1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.8±0.8 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westbrook and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westbrook and Portland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,038±$7k 5% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$79,540±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $383,300±$19kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$489,600±$13k 47% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$74Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,577±$35 12% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,005Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,601 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±3.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Portland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
46.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.8%±1.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | #133 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Westbrook Public Schools | Needham | Portland Public Schools · Baxter Academy for Technology and Science |
| High school in town | Westbrook High School | Needham High | Portland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
11.9Lowest |
14.4Highest |
| 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.