Needham, Massachusetts
Among the top 3% of US places for safety & wellbeing.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 9% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 6% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A+, better than 97% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 85% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 65% of US places
- top 6% for airport distance
- top 7% for school quality
- bottom 1% for cost of living
Needham is a mid-size city in Massachusetts with about 32,000 residents. It grades A+ for safety & wellbeing and F for weather. Standout strengths include airport distance, school quality, and walkability. It rates lower on monthly owner costs and cost of living.
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
57%45%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.3 in3.6 in
humid 100%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$206k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$84kbetter than 1% of US places
Home Value$1.1M98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 5% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$4kbetter than 1% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.93%better than 54% of US places
Income Tax9.00%better than 17% of US places
Sales Tax6.25%better than 81% of US places
Estimated total tax burden15.91%better than 15% of US places
Unemployment5.2%better than 37% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)28°F35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.3 in68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall45.7 inbetter than 16% of US places
Sunny Days181 daysbetter than 9% of US places
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 64% of US places
Comfortable Days79 daysbetter than 42% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk34.3better than 87% of US places
Air Quality45 AQIbetter than 57% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime245/100kbetter than 79% of US places
Property Crime521/100kbetter than 69% of US places
Community
Population31,95796th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age43.360th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2962nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9032nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+376th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)82.6%46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.4%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.2%48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)9.5%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.4%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time29 minbetter than 28% of US places
Walkability11.5/20better than 91% of US places
Airport Distance13 mibetter than 94% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.7%better than 82% of US places
Amenities Nearby113.90better than 58% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 36% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Needham an affordable place to live?
- Needham is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $84k, better than 1% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Needham?
- The median home value in Needham is $1.1M, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Needham?
- Median household income in Needham is $206k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Needham?
- Median gross rent in Needham is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Needham safe?
- Needham is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 245/100k (better than 79%). Property crime is 521/100k.
- What is the weather like in Needham?
- Needham averages 73°F in July and 28°F in January, with 47.3 in of annual precipitation and about 181 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Needham?
- Public-school quality in Needham is above average, scoring better than 93% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Needham?
- The average one-way commute in Needham is 29 min.
Other places in Norfolk County
Places near Needham
Compare Needham
Explore Massachusetts
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)