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Needham, MA

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Topics found in recent meetings

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NeedhamMA averageUS Census ACS
Population
32,059
Per-capita income
$100,288
Median home value
$1,146,000
Bachelor's or higher
81%
Typical home value $1,589,517 +5.2% yr/yr · +35.5% 5-yr
Home-value trend 2000–2026 (Zillow ZHVI)
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Municipal budget

US Census Annual Survey of Local Government Finances
Total revenue$254.1M (FY2023)
Total spending$254.3M (FY2023)
Taxes$193.9M (FY2023)
Debt outstanding$123.6M (FY2023)
Spending per resident$7,936 (FY2023)
🗳️ How this town voted (50 contests)
Official town-by-town returns — MA Secretary of the Commonwealth (PD43+). ✓ marks this town's plurality choice.
U.S. Senate 2024-11-05
Elizabeth Ann Warren ✓ 12,993 · John Deaton 6,081
U.S. House — 4th Congressional 2024-11-05
Jake Auchincloss ✓ 15,402 · Sana A. Fadel 25
State Senate — Norfolk, Worcester & Middlesex 2024-11-05
Rebecca L. Rausch ✓ 13,754 · Dashe M. Videira 4,411
State Representative — 13th Norfolk 2024-11-05
Joshua Tarsky ✓ 10,849 · William R. Dermody 6,989
Register of Deeds — Norfolk 2024-11-05
William Patrick O'Donnell ✓ 14,467
President 2024-11-05
Harris/ Walz ✓ 14,586 · Trump/ Vance 4,233 · Stein/ Caballero-Roca 127 · Oliver/ Ter Maat 124 · Ayyadurai/ Ellis 86 · De La Cruz/ Garcia 50
Governor's Council — 2nd 2024-11-05
Tamisha L. Civil ✓ 11,648 · Francis T. Crimmins, Jr 5,439
Clerk of Courts — Norfolk County 2024-11-05
Walter F. Timilty, Jr. ✓ 14,438
U.S. Senate 2024-09-03
Elizabeth Ann Warren ✓ 4,345
U.S. Senate 2024-09-03
John Deaton ✓ 527 · Robert J. Antonellis 181 · Ian Cain 87
U.S. House — 4th Congressional 2024-09-03
Jake Auchincloss ✓ 4,414
State Senate — Norfolk, Worcester & Middlesex 2024-09-03
Dashe M. Videira ✓ 57

Recent meetings

Tue Jul 7, 2026 · 19:00

General

Town Hall, Great Plain Room, Needham
Tue Jun 30, 2026 · 18:00

General

Needham Town Hall, Great Plain Room, Needham
Tue Jun 23, 2026 · 18:00

Select Board

Select Board regular meeting, June 23, 2026, 6:00 PM

This is a regular public meeting of the Needham Select Board, held in person and via Zoom. The agenda includes a public comment period, an appointment calendar, a consent agenda, and notices of approved block parties and one-day alcohol licenses. No specific substantive items are listed beyond the standard meeting structure.

Needham Town Hall, Select Board Chambers, Needham
📄 From the agenda
Extracted text of the official agenda document (automated extraction — may contain OCR/formatting errors).
SELECT BOARD AGENDA Regular Meeting 6:00 p.m. June 23, 2026 Town Hall Select Board Chambers 1471 Highland Avenue Needham, MA 02492 & Zoom Pursuant to An Act Extending Certain COVID-19 Measures Adopted During the State of Emergency, meetings of public bodies may be conducted virtually provided that adequate access is provided to the public. To listen and view this virtual meeting on a phone, computer, laptop, or tablet, download the “Zoom Cloud Meeting” app in any app store or at www.zoom.us. At the above date and time, click on “Join a Meeting” and enter the meeting or click the link below to join the webinar: Link: https://needham-k12-ma- us.zoom.us/j/82601013229?pwd=OE82V1MxQnJUZHVXZjFNbWJXRFJoQT09 Webinar ID: 826 0101 3229 Passcode: 652800 One tap mobile: +16469313860,,82601013229#,,,,*652800# This is a public meeting of the Needham Select Board. The meeting is open to the public both in person and via Zoom. Residents are invited to provide comment during the public comment period (if set forth below) and for any item explicitly listed as a public hearing. Public comment is not available during other agenda items. 6:00 Public Comment Period Residents are encouraged to inform the Office of the Town Manager in advance via email ([email protected]), telephone (781) 455-7500 extension 71204, or in person by the end of the business day prior to the meeting of their intent to participate in the public comment period. The Chair will first …
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Wed Jun 17, 2026 · 17:00

Board of Assessors

1471 Highland Avenue -Great Plain Room, Needham
Mon Jun 15, 2026 · 19:00

Historical Commission

Needham Historical Commission meets June 15 to approve past minutes and elect officers

The Needham Historical Commission will meet on June 15, 2025, at Town Hall’s Highland Room and via Zoom to accept minutes from April and May 2026, appoint a Community Preservation Committee member, and hold officer elections for fiscal year 2026–2027. The agenda also includes a local historic district update and a proposed meeting schedule for the coming year.

historical-commissionappointmentslocal-historymeeting-proceduresfiscal-year
Needham Town Hall, Highland Room, Needham
📄 From the agenda
Extracted text of the official agenda document (automated extraction — may contain OCR/formatting errors).
Needham Historical Commission Meeting Agenda 7:00 p.m. June 15, 2025 Town Hall – Highland Room 1471 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA Zoom To listen and view this virtual meeting on a phone, computer, laptop, or tablet, download the “Zoom Cloud Meeting” app in any app store or at www.zoom.us. At the above date and time, click on “Join a Meeting” and enter the meeting or click the link below to join the webinar: Link:https://needham-k12-ma- us.zoom.us/j/86862648747?pwd=yzlLFCcniqsHxCRjj8gKXCwWxAo65N.1 Webinar ID: 868 6264 8747 Passcode: 742909 One-Tap Mobile: +13126266799,,86862648747#,,,,*742909# AGENDA 1. Accept Minutes of April 13, 2026 and May 18, 2026 2. Community Preservation Committee Appointment 3. X 4. Y 5. Z 6. Local Historic District Update 7. FY 2026-2027 Officer Elections 8. FY 2026-2027 Meeting Schedule
Fri Jun 12, 2026 · 12:00

Finance Committee

Great Plain Room, Needham Town Hall
Wed Jun 10, 2026 · 19:00

Finance Committee

Insurance claim notice for frozen pipes at a Needham property

This document is a notification from Certify Adjustment, Inc., on behalf of Bay State Insurance, to the Town of Needham regarding a claim by insured Robert Evans for damage from frozen pipes on May 18, 2026. It advises that payment of $1,000 or more may be made and invites the town to initiate proceedings under state law if it chooses. The agenda contains only this procedural insurance notification, not a meeting of the Finance Committee.

insuranceproperty-damagenotificationneedham
Great Plain Room, Needham Town Hall,, Needham,
📄 From the agenda
Extracted text of the official agenda document (automated extraction — may contain OCR/formatting errors).
Certusgecsived TOWN CLERK Ba <a Aba MA Adj ustment, Inc, . See AME GUN -1 PM 449 200 Chauncy Street, Suite 201, Mansfield, MA 02048 (508) 337-6066 (800) 280-6066 (401) 272-5041 Fax: (508) 337-6065 | (401) 272-8222 24 Hr. Emergency Pager: (978) 445-0431 Email: Claims(@Certuse.com www.Certuse.com June 1, 2026 Building Commissioner or Inspector of Buildings Town/City of Needham Via Email NOTIFICATION UNDER M.G.L. c. 139, §3B RE: Bay State Insurance Company Insured: Robert Evans Policy No.: HP11817156 Date of Loss: 05/18/2026 Type of Loss: Frozen Pipes Dear Sir or Madam: Certuse Adjustment, Inc., is the independent adjusting firm retained by Bay State Insurance Company to investigate and adjust the captioned claim for Naa toa aoa or other structure at the property at Pursuant to M.GL. c. 139, §3B, Bay State Insurance Company hereby notifies you that payment of $1,000.00 or more may be made in connection with the captioned claim. If the Town/City of Needham intends to initiate proceedings under M.GL. c. 139, §3A;c. 143, §9, or c. 111, §127B, please forward the notice required under MG.L. c. 139, §3B, to my attention within the time provided under that statute. Thank you for your attention. Very truly yours, UNASSIGNED, Adjuster cc: Bay State Insurance Company Certuse leans Adjustment, Inc. Ter Bete eT 200 Chauncy Street, Suite 201, Mansfield, MA 02048 (508) 337-6066 (800) 280-6066 (401) 272-5041 Fax: (508) 337-6065 | (401) 272-8222 24 Hr. Emergency Pager: (978) 4 …
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Tue Jun 9, 2026 · 18:00

Select Board

Select Board to hold public hearing on Eversource grant at 150 Fair Oaks Park

The Needham Select Board will hold a public hearing on a Grant of Location for Eversource at 150 Fair Oaks Park. The agenda also includes a Juneteenth Proclamation, a public comment period, and approval of minutes and block party notices. No other substantive items are listed.

select-boardpublic-hearingeversourcegrant-of-locationjuneteenthblock-partyneedham
Town Hall, Needham
📄 From the agenda
Extracted text of the official agenda document (automated extraction — may contain OCR/formatting errors).
SELECT BOARD AGENDA Regular Meeting 6:00 p.m. , 2026 Town Hall Select Board Chambers 1471 Highland Avenue Needham, MA 02492 & Zoom Pursuant to An Act Extending Certain COVID-19 Measures Adopted During the State of Emergency, meetings of public bodies may be conducted virtually provided that adequate access is provided to the public. To listen and view this virtual meeting on a phone, computer, laptop, or tablet, download the “Zoom Cloud Meeting” app in any app store or at www.zoom.us. At the above date and time, click on “Join a Meeting” and enter the meeting or click the link below to join the webinar: Link: https://needham-k12-ma- us.zoom.us/j/82601013229?pwd=OE82V1MxQnJUZHVXZjFNbWJXRFJoQT09 Webinar ID: 826 0101 3229 Passcode: 652800 One tap mobile: +16469313860,,82601013229#,,,,*652800# This is a public meeting of the Needham Select Board. The meeting is open to the public both in person and via Zoom. Residents are invited to provide comment during the public comment period (if set forth below) and for any item explicitly listed as a public hearing. Public comment is not available during other agenda items. 6:00 Public Comment Period Residents are encouraged to inform the Office of the Town Manager in advance via email ([email protected]), telephone (781) 455-7500 extension 71204, or in person by the end of the business day prior to the meeting of their intent to participate in the public comment period. The Chair will first recogni …
Excerpt truncated on this listing page. Full text →
Fri Jun 5, 2026 · 12:00

Climate Action Committee

Needham Town Hall, Great Plain Room, Needham
Thu Jun 4, 2026 · 09:00

Historic District Commission

Historic District Commission to elect officers and review establishment process

The Needham Historic District Commission will elect officers, review their responsibilities, and discuss the process for establishing historic districts. They will also preview a discussion on commission guidelines and schedule the next meeting. The agenda includes a property at 176 South Street.

historic-districtcommissionofficersguidelinesneedham
✓ Decided: Historic District Commission elects officers, begins work on 178 South Street district

The Commission elected Lauren Borrelli as Chair, Lauren Soper as Vice Chair, and Brian LeMay as Clerk by unanimous vote. Members discussed the scope of their authority, including demolition delay and interior renovation limits, and voted unanimously to prepare a Preliminary Study Report for a potential local historic district at 178 South Street. No other decisions were made.

Needham Town Hall, Great Plain Room, Needham
📄 From the agenda
Extracted text of the official agenda document (automated extraction — may contain OCR/formatting errors).
Historic District Commission Meeting Agenda 6:00 p.m. May 21, 2026 Town Hall – Great Plain Room 1471 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA Zoom To listen and view this virtual meeting on a phone, computer, laptop, or tablet, download the “Zoom Cloud Meeting” app in any app store or at www.zoom.us. At the above date and time, click on “Join a Meeting” and enter the meeting or click the link below to join the webinar: Link: https://needham-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/s/87550253771 Webinar ID: 875 5025 3771 Passcode: 840235 One-Tap Mobile: +13052241968,,87550253771# AGENDA 1. Elect Commission Officers 2. Review Commission Responsibilities 3. Review Historic District Establishment Process 4. 176 South Street 5. Preview Commission Guidelines Discussion 6. Schedule Next Meeting
📄 From the minutes
Extracted text of the official minutes document (automated extraction — may contain OCR/formatting errors).
Town of Needham Historic District Commission Minutes for Thursday May 21, 2026 Great Plain Room, Needham Town Hall 1471 Highland Avenue & Zoom Link 6:05 p.m. – Call to Order The meeting of the Historic District Commission was called to order. Members present were Alison Borrelli, Moe Handel, Lauren Soper, Gloria Greis, and Brian LeMay. Sara Squeglia was absent. Staff Liaison Myles Tucker was also present. 6:07 p.m. – Election Commission Officers Ms. Borrelli led discussion between members on the roles of officers and expectations. Motion by Mr. Handel to elect a slate consisting of Ms. Borrelli as Chair, Ms. Soper as Vice Chair, and Mr. LeMay as Clerk. Dr. Greis seconded. The motion passed by unanimous voice vote. 6:12 p.m. – Review Commission Responsibilities & Preview Commission Guidelines Discussion Ms. Borrelli reviewed the roles and responsibilities of the Commission, supported by Mr. Tucker who expanded on the duties of the Commissions as defined by Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 40C and Needham General By-Laws. Consensus emerged that rules and regulations governing the Commission’s work would be embarked upon following the completion of Commission efforts relative to 178 South Street. Ms. Soper asked about the genesis of the Commission and how the Town protects historic homes. Mr. Handel explained the Town’s historic home inventory, the origin of the Commission, and the voluntary nature of protection that a historic district prov …
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💰 Federal awards (top 10 by amount)
Largest recent federal contract/grant awards to recipients in this city (2023–present), via USAspending.gov.
$45.5MGENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Department of Defense
$30.9MGENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Department of Defense
$29.3MMUTUAL TELECOM SERVICES INC.
Department of Energy · IGF::OT::IGF OAK RIDGE FEDERAL INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK (ORF-
$27.1MGENERAL DYNAMICS MISSION SYSTEMS, INC.
Department of Defense
$24.1MGENERAL DYNAMICS ONE SOURCE LLC
Department of Homeland Security · STIP DEV
$21.1MGENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Department of Defense · CONTRACTOR LOGISTICAL SUPPORT FOR ICE2 PROGRAM
$20.4MGENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Department of Defense
$16.3MGENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Department of Defense · SITE SURVEYS
$15.9MGENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Department of Defense · 200610!000684!5700!FA8528!WR-ALC-LXKB ISR MGNT DIR !F0960303D00
$14.3MGENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Department of Defense · CONTRACTOR LOGISTICAL SUPPORT FOR COMPUTER AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

Source: USAspending.gov (U.S. Treasury) — federal awards only, not city budgets.

🌐 County-level context (Norfolk County)
County-level context — from BLS, IRS, FEMA, HUD, Census. These figures cover the whole county this city sits in, not just the city itself.
Traffic fatalities1 (2024)
Business establishments20,745 (337,287 employees · 2023)
Fair Market Rent (2BR)$2,711/mo (353 assisted households · 2025)
Adults with low literacy11.0% (low numeracy 17% · 2017)

Sources: BLS LAUS, IRS SOI, FEMA, NHTSA FARS, Census CBP, HUD, NCES PIAAC

City profile

Everything below is drawn from this city’s own public record and primary-source government data. AI-written summaries are a finding aid, not a citable quote.

$254.1M
Annual budget
$123.6M
Debt outstanding

The money — in

source: Census gov-finance & state comptroller

Budget

Revenue$254.1M
Spending$254.3M
Operating spending ran ahead of revenue this year.

Debt load MODERATE

Outstanding debt$123.6M
Debt-to-revenue0.49×
Debt-load index59 / 100
A debt-load indicator (national percentile of debt, deficit & aid-reliance) — not a solvency verdict. Cross-checked against official state fiscal-stress scores where they exist.

Outcomes — economic mobility

source: Opportunity Atlas (Harvard) · research use

For kids who grew up here in low-income households, their adult household-income rank (0–1). The average hides a gap by race:

White kids
0.515
All kids
0.504
Black kids
0.430

Research-only layer, shown here for context — not included in the CC BY 4.0 bulk download.

Where it’s happening

geocoded land-use decisions
🗺 Interactive map
Every rezoning, development approval, and permit — explore the geocoded records in the research explorer.
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