Brookline, MA vs Needham, MA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricBrookline, MANeedham, MA
Population63,26632,459
Median Household Income$142,101$214,308
Median Rent$2,835/mo$2,409/mo
Median Home Value$1,246,800$1,188,500
Cost of Living (US = 100)108108
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income45.4%51.3%
Poverty Rate8.7%3.7%
Unemployment Rate4.1% (county)4.1% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k12479
Property Crime Rate /100k724597
Median AQI3939
Good AQI Days /yr308308
Summer Highs82°F80°F
Winter Lows22°F19°F
Snowfall49 in/yr46 in/yr
Avg Commute27.1 min27.7 min
Hospitals21
Avg Hospital Rating—5.0 / 5
Students per Teacher12.212.5
College Degree Rate85.4%81.9%
Foreign-Born %27.8%16.8%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+6.2%+3.5%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.