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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Needham

Massachusetts · 27,557 residents · 12.3 sq mi
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The short version

With 27,557 people, Needham is a city in Massachusetts. 54% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 20% nationally. Median home value sits at $255,800. Households here earn about 63% more than in Massachusetts as a whole. Median household income runs $60,357, well clear of the $30,130 US median. Renters pay $893 a month at the median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 38.9
US median: 33.0
More educated
54% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 11%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

27,557
−5%vs 2000
vs 28,911 in 2000
1990 – 2024
38.9
−5%vs 2000
vs 40.8 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
12.3 sq mi
Population, 19902024
27K29K30K31K33K19902000201020202024Needham
202432K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 56.6%(1,827)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 96%(1,644)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.4%(1,754)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 195.6%(1,548)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 245.5%(1,529)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3413.8%(3,814)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4416.3%(4,484)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5412.1%(3,321)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 6410.8%(2,975)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 748.7%(2,407)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 845.9%(1,616)
US avg: 4%
85 and over2.3%(638)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$60,357
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $88,079 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$27,935
−37%vs 2000
vs $44,549 in 2000
US average: $14,340
3.3%
+0.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 2.5% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$255,800
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $380,700 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$893
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $1,289 in 2000
US average: $450
79.7%
−1.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 80.9% in 2000
20.3% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic93.9%(27,140)
Black0.6%(187)
Hispanic / Latino1.2%(341)
Asian3.5%(1,023)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic96.5%(26,581)
Black0.7%(202)
Hispanic / Latino1.1%(309)
Asian2.6%(712)
Other0.2%(62)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican1%(312)
Venezuelan0.6%(185)
Spaniard0.5%(156)
Puerto Rican0.3%(108)
Cuban0.2%(66)
Ecuadorian0.2%(65)
Guatemalan0.2%(64)
Argentine0.2%(51)
Honduran0.1%(37)
Dominican0.1%(27)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese4.6%(1,498)
Asian Indian3.1%(1,003)
Korean1%(318)
Thai0.4%(139)
Taiwanese0.3%(101)
Malaysian0.1%(24)
Vietnamese0.1%(23)
Burmese0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(33)
Ancestry
Irish15.3%(4,965)
English11.1%(3,589)
Italian10.1%(3,272)
Russian5.9%(1,921)
Polish5.9%(1,900)
German5.8%(1,874)
American4.3%(1,403)
Ukrainian2.3%(759)
French1.8%(569)
Scottish1.7%(561)
Greek1.2%(401)
British1.1%(364)
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.9%(303)
Arab0.9%(294)
Hungarian0.6%(202)
Romanian0.6%(200)
West Indian0.6%(192)
Dutch0.6%(189)
Austrian0.6%(183)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(182)
Lithuanian0.6%(179)
Lebanese0.5%(166)
Latvian0.5%(154)
Slovak0.5%(154)
Welsh0.4%(146)
Norwegian0.4%(142)
Armenian0.4%(135)
Israeli0.4%(135)
Portuguese0.4%(117)
Australian0.3%(100)
Canadian0.3%(93)
Haitian0.3%(88)
Brazilian0.3%(84)
Jamaican0.2%(77)
Belgian0.2%(76)
Swiss0.2%(58)
Czech0.2%(54)
Nigerian0.1%(35)
Cape Verdean0.1%(25)
Syrian0.1%(22)
Finnish0.1%(18)
Croatian0%(12)
Iranian0%(10)
Turkish0%(10)
Kenyan0%(6)
Section 05

Education

53.7%
−11.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 64.9% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
94.4%
−2.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 96.4% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
25.2%
−8.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 33.5% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

24.5 min
+26%vs 2000
vs 19.5 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married23.4%(2,838)
Married70%(8,500)
Widowed2.9%(347)
Divorced3.8%(461)
Women 15+
Never married22.4%(2,934)
Married64%(8,368)
Widowed6.9%(901)
Divorced6.7%(872)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

1.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2013
from 1.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
79.3%
+3.3 ptssince 2020
from 76.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.2%
−2.8 ptssince 2020
from 17.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
16.7%
−1.4 ptssince 2020
from 18.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
5.6%
−3.0 ptssince 2020
from 8.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.6%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 0.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
90.4%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 89.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
20.0%
−4.8 ptssince 2020
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)
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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Needham, Massachusetts?

Needham, Massachusetts has about 27,557 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Needham, Massachusetts?

The typical household in Needham, Massachusetts earns about $60,357 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 $255,800, and the typical rent is about $893 a month.

How educated are people in Needham, Massachusetts?

About 53.7% 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 3.3% of people in Needham, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →