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
median household income $214,308, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Needham
What changed most since 1990
Adults with a bachelor's degree53.7% → 81.9%(+28.2 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Median household income (2024 dollars)$144,861 → $214,308(+48%)US over the same years: +14%
Median home value (2024 dollars)$613,938 → $1,188,500(+94%)US over the same years: +67%
Needham's population equals 4.4% of Norfolk County's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 2.4% of the county's. Its number of veterans equals 3.2% of the county's.
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19.7%(139)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era30.7%(216)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War11.5%(81)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II8.4%(59)
US avg: 1%
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
Over time
Needham, decade by decade
Needham population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
27,557
$144,861
$613,938
53.7%
11.0
2000
28,911
$160,450
$693,504
64.9%
14.7
2010
28,886
$164,522
$929,748
70.9%
25.3
2020
32,091
$211,752
$1,091,077
78.1%
41.5
2024
32,459
$214,308
$1,188,500
81.9%
41.7
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
