Compare towns
Bernardston vs Marblehead vs Leyden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bernardston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Leyden has the most homeowners (93.4%).
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 | Bernardston | Marblehead | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,164 |
20,413Highest |
637Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±3.2Lowest 23% above MA |
49.1±2 23% above MA |
53.2±8.2Highest 33% above MA |
| Leyden and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.6%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Marblehead and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,940±$10kLowest 21% below MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$105,893±$13k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,000±$15kLowest 41% below MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$372,900±$24k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,283±$553Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,917±$451Highest 9% above MA |
| Leyden and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,516Lowest 25% below MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$4,651 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.9%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Marblehead and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
93.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
33 min 12% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.7%±6.6 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
11%±5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #47 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Pioneer Valley | Marblehead | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Marblehead High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.