Needham vs Wellesley
marks the Massachusetts median on each scale. The better of the two is picked out where the gap is big enough to call; where neither is, they are level.
On schools these two are genuinely close — same tier and within five MCAS percentiles of each other — so the schools should not decide it. Price and commute should.
On tax, look past the rate: Needham works out roughly $2,900 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR — despite having the higher rate of the two, because the bill follows the house.
Choose Needham if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most.
All Needham numbers →Choose Wellesley if you prefer the town itself — the numbers do not separate them.
All Wellesley numbers →Side by side
Some rows have no better. Town character describes a place rather than ranking it, and per-pupil spending tracks need rather than results, so neither is picked out.
SchoolsNeedham ahead on 3 of 10, 1 against
| Needham | Wellesley | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | top schoolsT1 | top schoolsT1 |
| MCAS achievement | 97th | 98th |
| Student growth | 62nd | 54th |
| Graduation rate | 97.9% | 95.3% |
| Niche district rank | 12th of 236 | 15th of 236 |
| SchoolDigger rank | 14th of 361 | 7th of 361 |
| State accountability | Meeting or exceeding targets | Meeting or exceeding targets |
| Spending per pupil | $24,928 | $29,869 |
| Schools in the district | 7 | 8 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 51 | 55 |
What a home costsNeedham ahead on 8 of 8
| Needham | Wellesley | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $1.85MT4 | $2.25MT4 |
| 3BR townhouse | $1.25M | $1.45M |
| 2BR condo | $925k | $1.07M |
| 3BR home | $1.27M | $1.5M |
| 5+ BR home | $2.44M | $3M |
| 3BR rent | $4,273/mo | $4,840/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $480k | $577k |
| 10-year price growth | 6% a year | 5.5% a year |
What you pay the townNeedham ahead on 1 of 4
| Needham | Wellesley | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $10.83T2 | $10.17T2 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$20,000 | ≈$22,900 |
| Town spending per resident | $7,268 | $6,681 |
| Share of budget on schools | 46% | 45% |
Getting to workNeedham ahead on 1 of 8
| Needham | Wellesley | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 38 minT2 | 39 minT2 |
| MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~34 min to terminal | Commuter rail · ~38 min to terminal |
| Miles from downtown | 11 mi | 12 mi |
| Rail to Downtown | 34 min | 38 min |
| Rail to Back Bay | 28 min | 32 min |
| Rail to Kendall Sq | 42 min | 46 min |
| Rail to the Seaport | 37 min | 40 min |
| Rail to Longwood | 58 min | 67 min |
Before kindergartenNeedham ahead on 2 of 4
| Needham | Wellesley | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 32 | 24 |
| Child care places | 1,966 | 1,236 |
| Centers vs family programs | 25 centers | 19 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 296 | 263 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Needham | Wellesley | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,091 | 29,550 |
| Energy | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Compact center | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Family amenities | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Culture | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Gathering places | 8/10 | 9/10 |
The tax bill is each town’s own rate on its own median 4BR, so a lower rate does not always mean a lower bill. School tiers are editorial, shown beside the state’s own MCAS figures rather than derived from them.
Prices calibrated to Zillow ZHVI and Redfin · FY2026 residential tax rates · rail leg from the MBTA timetable, drive modeled · rents are HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs · reviewed · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.
