Compare towns
Arlington vs Hingham vs Marblehead vs Natick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arlington has the most renters (38.4% rent).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
Marblehead has the most homeowners (85.2%).
Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
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 | Arlington | Hingham | Marblehead | Natick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 46,350Highest |
24,283 |
20,413Lowest |
36,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
48.4±2.4 21% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
43.3±1.4 8% above MA |
| Marblehead and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Hingham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 76.1% MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $150,701±$5k 45% above MA |
$178,390±$15k 72% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$138,538±$11kLowest 33% above MA |
| Marblehead and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $933,800±$23k 66% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$943,900±$31k 68% above MA |
$821,000±$25kLowest 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,082±$76 18% above MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,134±$124 21% above MA |
| Hingham and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,604 60% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
$8,914 49% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35%±4.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 34.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Arlington and Marblehead 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 | #29 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Arlington | Hingham | Marblehead | Natick |
| High school in town | Arlington High | Hingham High | Marblehead High | Natick High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
12.9 |
10.7Lowest |
12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.