United States › Massachusetts › Needham CITY
Needham Massachusetts · 32,459 residents · 12.3 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Needham is home to 32,459 people in Massachusetts. That is roughly 106% ahead of the Massachusetts median. Median household income runs $214,308, well clear of the $82,259 US median. 82% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $1,188,500. 83% of homes are owner-occupied.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.1
US median: 38.9
More educated
82% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 71%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth 2,639 / sq mi
+13%since 2009
from 2,332 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 40.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
27K 29K 30K 31K 33K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Needham Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $214,308
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $88,079 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $44,549 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 68.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 2.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.463 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 10.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 3.3%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.9%
Education & health services 0.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$1,188,500
+71%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $380,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$2,409
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $1,289 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 80.9% in 2000
16.9% rent
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.71 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 29.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 46.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 5.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 93.9%(27,140)
Hispanic / Latino 1.2%(341)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 80.8%(26,234)
Hispanic / Latino 3.6%(1,179)
from 24 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data from 64.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 96.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 33.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 73.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 66.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 79.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 66.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 7.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 1.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 91.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 95.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 83.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 23.4%(2,838)
Women 15+
Never married 22.4%(2,934)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 1.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 76.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 8.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 89.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 24.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 13.8%(97)
Gulf War (1990s) 19.7%(139)
Share of the 704 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Needham, Massachusetts? Needham, Massachusetts has about 32,459 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Needham, Massachusetts? The typical household in Needham, Massachusetts earns about $214,308 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Needham, Massachusetts expensive? In Needham, Massachusetts, the median home is worth about $1,188,500, and the typical rent is about $2,409 a month.
How educated are people in Needham, Massachusetts? About 81.9% of adults age 25 and over in Needham, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Needham, Massachusetts? About 3.7% of people in Needham, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.
Has Needham, Massachusetts grown since 1990? Yes, Needham, Massachusetts has grown since 1990. The population has added about 4,902 residents, a change of about 18 percent over that period.
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