Needham

The football rivalry between Needham and Wellesley high schools is the longest running in the United States.

Median home price: Singlefamily, $632,000
Residential tax rate: $9.70 per thousand
Average tax bill: $6,664
Choice location: The 700-acre Cutler Park -- with trails for birding, hiking, and biking -- holds the largest saltwater marsh on the middle section of the Charles River.
Cocktail party nugget: Needham High School's football rivalry against Wellesley is the longest-running in the country, having started in 1882.

SOURCES: Warren Group, Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Town of Needham

THE GOODS: An inner suburb with commuter rail service and easy highway access, Needham has become a highly desirable bedroom community, with the home prices to show for it. This used to be a town of economic diversity, a popular movin'-on-up location for middle-class Bostonians. Recognizing that younger generations may not be able to buy in their hometown, town officials are building affordably priced duplexes within walking distance of the downtown. Revised zoning may soon allow apartments on top of the new boutiques that line the downtown, and the restaurant scene has surprising size and diversity, Japanese, Indian, and Vietnamese cuisine. Civic activism is very high.

PROS: Older homes include many beautiful, larger antiques, mostly Colonials, that have been renovated and sit on large lots, especially along the main streets, including heavily sought-after Great Plain Avenue. Other areas include the usual mix of well-cared for older traditional-style homes. Much of the high-end housing stock is sprawling new construction. The schools are well-funded and retain impressive rankings. The meandering Charles creates special pockets, such as Charles River Village.

CONS: There isn't much entry-level housing here, and what's available generally comes from the small condominium stock. Also, the sidewalks roll up early here, something town officials are rethinking. They're also considering building a center for its active population of seniors.

Franci Ellement Richardson