Compare towns
Windsor vs Stoneham vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($390k median).
Stoneham has the most renters (29% rent).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
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 | Windsor | Stoneham | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,065Lowest |
23,355 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4Highest 12% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
| Windsor and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.9% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,563±$10k 11% above MA |
$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32kLowest 31% below MA |
$671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,035±$142Lowest 15% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$6,523 9% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1964Lowest same as MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #117 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Stoneham | Needham |
| High school in town | — | Stoneham High | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.