Framingham vs Needham
Framingham, Massachusetts versus Needham, Massachusetts: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Needham edges out Framingham on overall objective livability (48 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Framingham | Needham |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $95k | $206k |
| Cost of Living | $79k | $84k |
| Home Value | $553k | $1.1M |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.19% | 0.93% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 18.02% | 15.91% |
| Unemployment | 5.0% | 5.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 28°F | 28°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.3 in | 47.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 45.7 in | 45.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 181 days | 181 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 79 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 22.7 | 34.3 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 641/100k | 245/100k |
| Property Crime | 1416/100k | 521/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 71,805 | 31,957 |
| Median Age | 38.8 | 43.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.60 | 0.29 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.90 |
| Political Leaning | D+46 | D+37 |
| White (%) | 55.6% | 82.6% |
| Black (%) | 5.9% | 2.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 17.5% | 3.2% |
| Asian (%) | 7.5% | 9.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 13.4% | 2.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 30 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 12.8/20 | 11.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 22 mi | 13 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.0% | 94.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 30.92 | 113.90 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Framingham or Needham more affordable?
- Framingham has the lower cost of living: its index is $79k, compared with Framingham's $79k and Needham's $84k. Median rent is $2k in Framingham versus $2k in Needham.
- Is Framingham or Needham safer?
- Needham has the lower violent crime rate. Framingham reports 641/100k and Needham reports 245/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Framingham or Needham?
- The median home value is $553k in Framingham and $1.1M in Needham, so homes are more affordable in Framingham.