Compare towns
Westminster vs Needham vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most affordable homes ($422k median).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Rochester has the most homeowners (88.1%).
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 | Westminster | Needham | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,374 |
32,459Highest |
5,837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
46.5±6 16% above MA |
| Westminster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,331±$22kLowest about the MA average |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$120,273±$12k 16% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,000±$36kLowest 25% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$599,100±$31k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,843±$268 5% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,432±$743Lowest 19% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,530 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #112 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Needham | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | Oakmont Regional High School | Needham High | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
11.9 |
9.1Lowest |
| 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.