What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Boston	Marblehead
People
Population	666,442Highest	20,413Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA	49.1±2Highest 23% above MA
Kids under 18	15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	78.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9%	3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA	$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$731,700±$10kLowest 30% above MA	$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA	$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,456Lowest 26% below MA	$8,309Highest 39% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8%	49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Boston and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.6%Highest MA: 10%	4.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Highest 17 yrs older than MA	1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 4% above MA	33 minHighest 13% above MA
Work from home	21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#258 of 282 in MA	#47 of 282 in MA
School district	Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston	Marblehead
High school in town	Boston Latin School	Marblehead High
Students per teacherat that high school	18.7Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.