Compare towns
Auburn vs Hingham vs Leicester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
Leicester has the most homeowners (88.5%).
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 | Auburn | Hingham | Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970 |
24,283Highest |
11,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6 12% above MA |
48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
42.4±3.5Lowest 6% above MA |
| Hingham and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4% MA: 47.3% |
76.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Leicester and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$105,173±$9kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$413,100±$23k 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$1,487±$258 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289 12% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,452Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±14.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
88.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #106 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #222 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Hingham | Leicester |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Hingham High | Leicester High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.