What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cambridge has the most renters (66.5% rent).

Hingham has the most homeowners (80.7%).

Cambridge is a college town. 25.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Cambridge	Hingham
People
Population	118,796Highest	24,283Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+9.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA	48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA
Kids under 18	12.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	12.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	80.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	76.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$130,748±$4kLowest 26% above MA	$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,092,100±$42kLowest 94% above MA	$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA
	Hingham and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,787±$48Highest 58% above MA	$2,465±$603Lowest 40% above MA
	Cambridge and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,802Lowest 20% below MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45%±2.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	12.8%Highest MA: 10%	4.3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%	80.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 11% below MA	36 minHighest 24% above MA
Work from home	30.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Hingham and Cambridge 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	#122 of 282 in MA	#14 of 282 in MA
School district	Cambridge	Hingham
High school in town	Cambridge Rindge and Latin	Hingham High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.3Lowest	12.9Highest
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.