Signals
Burlington
Needham
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs92 · Top 9%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 30%
vs74 · Bottom 40%
Schools
87 · Top 5%
vs92 · Top 2%
Access
96 · Top 30%
vs97 · Top 24%
Economic stability
74 · Top 19%
vs80 · Top 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Burlington | Needham | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,274 | 32,459 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $146,436 | $214,308 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $69,012 | $102,328 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,236/sq mi | 2,639/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $740,600 | $1,188,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,718 | $2,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.2% | 83.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.4% | 81.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 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 | 14 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.4 min | 30.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.9 | 43.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.99 | 12.21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 54.8% | 60.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 62.1% | 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
Burlington
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Needham
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Burlington
79
Your Score
—
Area Score
Needham
83
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Burlington, MA · Needham, MA · How this is calculated: methodology