Compare towns
Belmont 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
Belmont has the most renters (35.3% rent).
Marblehead has the most affordable homes ($944k 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 | Belmont | Hingham | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,175Highest |
24,283 |
20,413Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1Lowest 7% 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 | 24.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Belmont and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±1.7Lowest 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+ | 80.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
76.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Belmont and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $183,137±$14kHighest 76% above MA |
$178,390±$15kLowest 72% above MA |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
| Belmont and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,159,000±$33kHighest 106% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47k 102% above MA |
$943,900±$31kLowest 68% above MA |
| Belmont and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,527±$105Highest 43% above MA |
$2,465±$603 40% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
| Belmont 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 | 45.6%±6.2Lowest 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 | 3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
4.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1944 20 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.5%±3.2Lowest 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 | #3 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Belmont | Hingham | Marblehead |
| High school in town | Belmont High | Hingham High | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
12.9 |
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.