Compare towns
Winchester vs Wakefield vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchester has the highest household income ($230k).
Wakefield has the most affordable homes ($724k median).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Winchester | Wakefield | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,406Lowest |
27,793 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1.9 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
| Needham and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.6%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Winchester and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18%±2 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.5% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $230,198±$21kHighest 121% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$214,308±$13k 106% above MA |
| Winchester and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,215,200±$39kHighest 116% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43k 111% above MA |
| Winchester and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,279±$481 29% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Needham and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.3%±13.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 8% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 33.8%±3Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Winchester and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #11 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Winchester | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Needham |
| High school in town | Winchester High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.9 |
| 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.