Compare towns
Bedford vs Hingham vs Marblehead
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).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
Marblehead has the most homeowners (85.2%).
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 | Hingham | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,727Lowest |
24,283Highest |
20,413 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.6Lowest 11% above MA |
48.4±2.4 21% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% 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 | 20.8%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5 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+ | 19.1%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5 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+ | 69.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Bedford and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,400±$23kLowest 66% above MA |
$178,390±$15k 72% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% 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 | $898,500±$43kLowest 60% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$943,900±$31k 68% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,622±$327Highest 49% above MA |
$2,465±$603 40% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
| 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 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 | 5.5%Highest MA: 10% |
4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.4%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Hingham 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 | #14 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bedford | Hingham | Marblehead |
| High school in town | Bedford High | Hingham High | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
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.