Signals
Needham
Lexington
Climate
63 · Bottom 30%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 9%
vs88 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 40%
vs77 · Bottom 44%
Schools
92 · Top 2%
vs99 · Top 1%
Access
97 · Top 24%
vs97 · Top 22%
Economic stability
80 · Top 8%
vs74 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Needham | Lexington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,459 | 34,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $214,308 | $238,444 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $102,328 | $114,758 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,639/sq mi | 2,087/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,188,500 | $1,203,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,409 | $2,891 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.1% | 80.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 81.9% | 84.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.7% | 4.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 86°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.9" | 42.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 33.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.1 | 47.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.21 | 10.20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 60.7% | 71.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 72.4% | 75.6% | 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
Needham
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Lexington
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Needham, MA · Lexington, MA · How this is calculated: methodology