Compare towns
Arlington vs Hull 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 people working from home (34.5%).
Hull has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
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 | Hull | Natick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 46,350Highest |
10,138Lowest |
36,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1% MA: +7.4% |
-2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
43.3±1.4 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Natick and Arlington 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% |
26.1%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 76.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $150,701±$5kHighest 45% above MA |
$115,485±$14kLowest 11% above MA |
$138,538±$11k 33% above MA |
| Arlington and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $933,800±$23kHighest 66% above MA |
$646,000±$38kLowest 15% above MA |
$821,000±$25k 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,082±$76 18% above MA |
$2,081±$187Lowest 18% above MA |
$2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA |
| Natick and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,604Highest 60% above MA |
$6,089Lowest about the MA average |
$8,914 49% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35%±4.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±14Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Hull and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1946 18 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 34.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #29 of 282 in MA | #66 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Arlington | — | Natick |
| High school in town | Arlington High | — | Natick High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
— | 12.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.