Compare towns
Boxborough vs Marblehead vs Harvard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boxborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Marblehead | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,496Lowest |
20,413Highest |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±1.6Lowest 7% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
| Marblehead and Harvard 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% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Harvard 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% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
78.3% MA: 47.3% |
62%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Boxborough and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $144,611±$35kLowest 39% above MA |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| Harvard and Marblehead 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 |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$833,600±$54k 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,887±$173Highest 7% above MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
| Boxborough and Marblehead 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 |
$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% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Boxborough 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% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
4.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 3% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±6.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Marblehead | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | Marblehead High | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
11.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.