What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wrentham has the most affordable homes ($655k 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	Wrentham	Needham
People
Population	12,297Lowest	32,459Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4%	+11.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.8±3.2Highest 17% above MA	43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA
	Wrentham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	21.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Wrentham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	81.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Needham and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$151,676±$17kLowest 46% above MA	$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$654,900±$26kLowest 17% above MA	$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,184±$628Lowest 33% below MA	$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,373Lowest 23% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.6%±15.4Lowest MA: 51.8%	55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Needham and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.9%Highest MA: 10%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA	1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 11% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	21.9%±4Lowest MA: 18.6%	32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#49 of 282 in MA	#19 of 282 in MA
School district	King Philip · Wrentham	Needham
High school in town	King Philip Regional High	Needham High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Highest	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.