Compare towns
Boxborough vs Hingham vs Marblehead vs Hamilton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boxborough has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Hamilton has the most kids (24% under 18).
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 | Boxborough | Hingham | Marblehead | Hamilton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,496Lowest |
24,283Highest |
20,413 |
7,600 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±1.6Lowest 7% above MA |
48.4±2.4 21% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
43.5±2.1 9% 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%±4.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
24%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hamilton and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±4.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±3.8 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+ | 80.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
78.3% MA: 47.3% |
68.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±3.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Hamilton and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $144,611±$35k 39% above MA |
$178,390±$15k 72% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$129,833±$14kLowest 25% 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 | $706,900±$72kLowest 26% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$943,900±$31k 68% above MA |
$720,000±$36k 28% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,887±$173 7% above MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$1,794±$394 about the MA average |
| Hingham and Boxborough 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.8%±22.7 MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
65.8%±23.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hamilton and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 3% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±6.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±5.1 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 | #31 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #36 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Hingham | Marblehead | Hamilton-Wenham |
| High school in town | None in town | Hingham High | Marblehead High | Hamilton-Wenham Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.