Compare towns
Brewster vs Hingham vs Marblehead vs Harwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewster has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Harwich has the most affordable homes ($659k 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 | Brewster | Hingham | Marblehead | Harwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,420Lowest |
24,283Highest |
20,413 |
13,598 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 59.6±4.7Highest 49% above MA |
48.4±2.4Lowest 21% above MA |
49.1±2 23% above MA |
58.6±1.5 47% above MA |
| Brewster and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
11.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 38.6%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.8%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Brewster and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.5% MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Marblehead and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,317±$16k about the MA average |
$178,390±$15k 72% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$96,966±$13kLowest 7% below 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 | $707,700±$51k 26% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$943,900±$31k 68% above MA |
$658,600±$26kLowest 17% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,589±$465Lowest 10% below MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$2,017±$738 14% above MA |
| Hingham and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,397 27% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$4,189Lowest 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.2%±23.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.7%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Brewster and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85% MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 28% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
25 min 14% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.3%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest 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 | #160 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #157 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brewster | Hingham | Marblehead | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | Hingham High | Marblehead High | Monomoy Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 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.