Compare towns
Whitman vs Needham vs Dudley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitman has the most renters (28.6% rent).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Dudley has the most affordable homes ($393k median).
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 | Whitman | Needham | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,295 |
32,459Highest |
11,929Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Needham and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Needham and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.3% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$392,600±$19kLowest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$151 about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #191 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Needham | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| 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.