What stands out worked out from the figures below

Worcester has the most affordable homes ($374k median).

Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Worcester	Needham
People
Population	207,055Highest	32,459Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+11.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA	43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA
Kids under 18	19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%	81.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA	$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA	$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA	$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,733Lowest 21% below MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Needham and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	19.6%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA	1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 17% below MA	28 minHighest 5% below MA
Work from home	11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%	32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#266 of 282 in MA	#19 of 282 in MA
School district	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester	Needham
High school in town	South High Community	Needham High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	11.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.