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Living in
Needham.
Needham is an unincorporated community in Norfolk County, MA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Needham
If you're considering Needham, understand that you're looking at one of the pricier Boston suburbs—median home values around $1.15 million and rents near $2,400 monthly reflect the strong demand. The trade-off is a well-resourced community with an 80.8% college degree rate, solid public schools that benefit from that tax base, and low unemployment at 4.1%. Your commute to Boston averages 28.6 minutes via one of four commuter rail stations, which beats driving I-95/Route 128 during rush hour.
Needham at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.7%
Foreign-Born
16.8%
Broadband Internet
94.7%
of households
Population Growth
+3.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics16.8% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Needham: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Needham, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (12.6%), and 4.4% of residents speak Russian/Slavic at home.
Under 18
27.5%
of residents
65 and Older
17.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
41.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
19.1%
of households
Married Couples
70.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.73
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 37% above MA average
Rent, home values, and income in Needham
In Needham, rent runs 37% above the MA average, and home values are 111% above the MA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
31.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
83.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1965
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,538,127 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below MA average
Unemployment in Needham
Unemployment in Norfolk County, which includes Needham, is 0.4 percentage points lower than the MA average.
Unemployment rate
Needham: Norfolk County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Norfolk County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Needham is about 4% of Norfolk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Needham Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute27.7 min avg
How Needham residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Needham, most residents drive alone to work (53%), and 52% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 mi
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
Major hub21.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 76% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Needham runs 76% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
78.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
596.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Needham Police Department
Natural DisastersStrong Wind most common — 8 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
92.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Norfolk County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Norfolk County, which includes Needham, the most common type is strong wind, with 8 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $12,200 |
| 2024 | 14 | High Wind | $4,200 |
| 2023 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $48,800 |
| 2022 | 25 | Strong Wind | $17,500 |
| 2021 | 30 | Thunderstorm Wind | $322,000 |
| 2020 | 57 | Strong Wind | $30.2M |
| 2019 | 27 | Strong Wind | $90,800 |
| 2018 | 45 | Strong Wind | $240,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Norfolk County, county-wide
Needham is about 4% of Norfolk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Norfolk County, which includes Needham, is typically good — 308 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
308
per year
Moderate Days
55
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Norfolk County, county-wide
Needham is about 4% of Norfolk County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate80°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Needham has mild summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
38°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
47.3"
Annual Snowfall
45.7"
Hot Days/Year
7
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
143
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
125
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°F | 18°F | 3.37" |
| Feb | 38°F | 18°F | 3.07" |
| Mar | 46°F | 25°F | 3.95" |
| Apr | 58°F | 35°F | 4.07" |
| May | 68°F | 46°F | 3.78" |
| Jun | 77°F | 56°F | 4.14" |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 3.85" |
| Aug | 80°F | 59°F | 3.82" |
| Sep | 73°F | 52°F | 4.21" |
| Oct | 62°F | 40°F | 4.83" |
| Nov | 51°F | 31°F | 3.74" |
| Dec | 41°F | 23°F | 4.43" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Needham
Needham has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
1.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Needham
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Newton-wellesley Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.5 mi away · Newton
Bournewood Hospital
Psychiatric · 4.5 mi away · Brookline
Westwood Pembroke Health Systems
Psychiatric · ER available · 5 mi away · Westwood
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education12.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Needham
Needham's student/teacher ratio is 12.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 81.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
81.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Needham
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 377 students · in-state tuition $69,378 · 95% graduate · median earnings $138,832 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 18,248 students · in-state tuition $71,372 · 89% graduate · median earnings $89,087 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 17,326 students · in-state tuition $69,289 · 91% graduate · median earnings $99,371 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Massachusetts-Boston
10.4 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 11,512 students · in-state tuition $16,558 · 62% graduate · median earnings $70,597 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 10,085 students · in-state tuition $73,508 · 91% graduate · median earnings $112,178 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 8,612 students · in-state tuition $6,288 · 22% graduate · median earnings $51,734 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,601 students · in-state tuition $64,796 · 98% graduate · median earnings $121,957 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, 6 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Needham
Needham has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site (6 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
National Historic Site
6 mi awayJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
National Historic Site
7 mi awayLongfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
National Historic Site
9 mi awayBoston African American National Historic Site
National Historic Site
10 mi awayBoston National Historical Park
National Historical Park
11 mi awayAdams National Historical Park
National Historical Park
12 mi awayMinute Man National Historical Park
National Historical Park
13 mi awayBoston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
15 mi awayPublic Libraries in Needham
Needham Free Public Library
1139 Highland Ave., Needham
Cities Near Needham
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Needham?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Needham FAQ
Is Needham, Massachusetts affordable?⌄
Needham's median rent is $2,409/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $214,308/year. Median home value is $1,188,500.
Is Needham, Massachusetts safe?⌄
Needham's violent crime rate was 79 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 597 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Needham, Massachusetts?⌄
Norfolk County, which includes Needham, has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Needham, Massachusetts?⌄
The cost of living in Needham is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,409/month and median household income is $214,308/year. The median home value is $1,188,500. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Needham, Massachusetts?⌄
The average commute in Needham is 28 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from