Compare towns
Bedford vs Canton vs Hingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bedford has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
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 | Bedford | Canton | Hingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,727Lowest |
24,748Highest |
24,283 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.6 11% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.6% MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bedford and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,400±$23k 66% above MA |
$143,381±$9kLowest 38% above MA |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
| Hingham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $898,500±$43k 60% above MA |
$710,600±$27kLowest 26% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,622±$327Highest 49% above MA |
$2,315±$178Lowest 31% above MA |
$2,465±$603 40% above MA |
| Bedford and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.4%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Hingham and Bedford 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 | #7 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bedford | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Hingham |
| High school in town | Bedford High | Canton High | Hingham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.9 |
| 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.