United States › Massachusetts › Needham CITY · 2020 ACS
Needham Massachusetts · 32,091 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 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Needham is home to 32,091 people in Massachusetts. Households here earn about 107% more than in Massachusetts as a whole. Median household income runs $174,707, well clear of the $66,278 US median. 78% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 33% nationally. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $900,200. Owners hold 79% of the housing stock.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 43.1
US median: 38.8
More educated
78% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 57%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 40.8 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
27K 29K 30K 31K 33K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Needham Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $174,707
+32%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $88,079 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $44,549 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 68.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 2.5% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Transportation & warehousing 3.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.9%
Education & health services 0.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.2%
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$900,200
+57%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $380,700 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$1,604
−17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $1,289 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 80.9% in 2000
21.2% rent
from 2.71 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 93.9%(27,140)
Hispanic / Latino 1.2%(341)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 81.1%(26,013)
Hispanic / Latino 3.8%(1,223)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data Ancestry
+ 34 more ancestry groups with data from 64.9% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 96.4% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 33.5% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 73.5% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.3% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 66.0% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 66.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 1.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 4.2%(36)
Share of the 851 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Needham Head to head
Compare Needham to nearby cities NEEDHAM VS
Wellesley
Income $250,001 +43%
Home value $1,582,700 +76%
Population 30,347 −7%
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NEEDHAM VS
Newton
Income $190,304 +9%
Home value $1,264,900 +41%
Population 90,741 +180%
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NEEDHAM VS
Dedham
Income $128,955 −26%
Home value $661,800 −26%
Population 25,237 −22%
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NEEDHAM VS
Brookline
Income $142,101 −19%
Home value $1,246,800 +39%
Population 63,266 +95%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Needham, Massachusetts? Needham, Massachusetts has about 32,091 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Needham, Massachusetts? The typical household in Needham, Massachusetts earns about $174,707 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 $900,200, and the typical rent is about $1,604 a month.
How educated are people in Needham, Massachusetts? About 78.1% 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 2.4% 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 4,534 residents, a change of about 16 percent over that period.
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