Needham vs Westwood
You are paying about $450k more for a 4BR in Needham, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $450k for one tier of schooling.
On tax, look past the rate: Westwood works out roughly $2,500 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 stronger schools of the two, or the commute matters most.
All Needham numbers →Choose Westwood if you want the lower price.
All Westwood numbers →Side by side
The better of the two is highlighted on each row. Where a row is not highlighted, the two are close enough that calling a winner would be false precision.
| Needham | Westwood | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | top schoolsT1 | strong schoolsT2 |
| MCAS percentile | 97th | 96th |
| Niche district rank | 12th of 236 | 14th of 236 |
| 4BR house | $1.85MT4 | $1.4MT4 |
| 2BR condo | $925k | $725k |
| Commute to Boston | 38 minT2 | 41 minT2 |
| MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~34 min to terminal | Commuter rail · ~29 min to terminal |
| Tax rate | $10.83T2 | $12.50T3 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$20,000 | ≈$17,500 |
| 3BR rent | $4,233/mo | $3,557/mo |
Prices are estimates calibrated to the Zillow Home Value Index and Redfin; tax rates are FY2026 residential rates and the bill applies that rate to the town’s own median 4BR estimate; commutes take the rail leg from the MBTA timetable and still model the drive; rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents. School tiers are editorial and shown next to the state’s own MCAS figures. Data last reviewed — see the methodology. This comparison never uses demographics as an input.
