Signals
Belmont
Needham
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs92 · Top 9%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 34%
vs74 · Bottom 40%
Schools
92 · Top 2%
vs92 · Top 2%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs97 · Top 24%
Economic stability
79 · Top 10%
vs80 · Top 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Belmont | Needham | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,175 | 32,459 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $183,137 | $214,308 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $95,484 | $102,328 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,848/sq mi | 2,639/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,159,000 | $1,188,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,527 | $2,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.7% | 83.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 80.9% | 81.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.6% | 3.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 85°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.6" | 43.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.2 min | 30.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.9 | 43.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.54 | 12.21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 65.8% | 60.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 77.5% | 72.4% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Belmont
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Needham
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Belmont, MA · Needham, MA · How this is calculated: methodology