Signals
Newton
Wellesley
Climate
62 · Bottom 24%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 13%
vs92 · Top 9%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 31%
vs70 · Bottom 34%
Schools
94 · Top 1%
vs98 · Top 1%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs96 · Top 32%
Economic stability
73 · Top 22%
vs68 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Newton | Wellesley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 89,044 | 30,347 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $190,304 | $250,000+ | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $97,547 | $111,798 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,995/sq mi | 3,028/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,264,900 | $1,582,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,370 | $2,886 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.0% | 84.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 81.1% | 89.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.5% | 4.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 82°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.3" | 43.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.2 min | 30.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.1 | 37.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 22 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.67 | 10.57 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 61.8% | 64.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 71.7% | 76.4% | 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
Newton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Wellesley
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Newton, MA · Wellesley, MA · How this is calculated: methodology