Newton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Quincy
Newton
Opportunity
65 · Top 31%
vs72 · Top 18%
Growth
71 · Top 16%
vs52 · Top 46%
Climate
62 · Bottom 24%
vs62 · Bottom 24%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 9%
vs88 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
53 · Bottom 12%
vs68 · Bottom 31%
Schools
65 · Top 33%
vs94 · Top 1%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
67 · Top 36%
vs73 · Top 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Quincy | Newton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 102,114 | 89,044 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $98,882 | $190,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,982 | $97,547 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,161/sq mi | 4,995/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $618,500 | $1,264,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,118 | $2,370 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 45.2% | 70.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.3% | 81.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.6% | 4.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 290 | 159 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 544.4% | 42.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.3" | 53.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 38.0 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 42.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 18 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.51 | 10.67 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 36.5% | 61.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.5% | 71.7% | 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
Quincy
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Newton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Quincy, MA · Newton, MA · How this is calculated: methodology