Compare towns
Bedford vs Hingham vs Marblehead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bedford has the most affordable homes ($612k median).
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 | 23,746 |
24,283Highest |
20,413Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
48.4±2.4 24% above U.S. |
49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hingham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 63%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
76.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $167,418±$12kLowest 107% above U.S. |
$178,390±$15k 121% above U.S. |
$182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kLowest 84% above U.S. |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 241% above U.S. |
$943,900±$31k 184% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
$2,465±$603Highest 74% above U.S. |
$1,764±$147Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Hingham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 214% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,309Lowest 166% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.3%±12Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hingham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.1%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 120 in NH | #14 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bedford School District | Hingham | Marblehead |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Hingham High | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.9 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.