Compare towns
Andover vs Marblehead vs Reading vs Weston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the most renters (17.2% rent).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
Reading has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
Weston has the oldest population (median age 60.5).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Andover | Marblehead | Reading | Weston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616Lowest |
20,413Highest |
699 |
685 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.1 26% above U.S. |
49.1±2Lowest 26% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
60.5±7Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Weston and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Marblehead and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
44.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Marblehead and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,500±$38k 27% above U.S. |
$182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$115,000±$20k 42% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,900±$68k 15% above U.S. |
$943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$537,700±$77k 62% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,389±$364 about the U.S. average |
$1,764±$147Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,375±$729 about the U.S. average |
| Marblehead and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,190Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$7,076 127% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.6%±12.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.2%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marblehead and Weston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #47 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Marblehead | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — |
| High school in town | — | Marblehead High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.