Compare towns
Chatham vs Hull vs Harwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chatham has the most expensive homes ($943k median).
Hull has the highest household income ($115k).
Harwich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Chatham | Hull | Harwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,681Lowest |
10,138 |
13,598Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% MA: +7.4% |
-2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 63.4±2.8Highest 59% above MA |
56.1±1.8Lowest 40% above MA |
58.6±1.5 47% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 8.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
11.4%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
11.7%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Harwich and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 45.5%±5.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.8%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hull and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,167±$9kLowest 18% below MA |
$115,485±$14kHighest 11% above MA |
$96,966±$13k 7% below MA |
| Hull and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $942,800±$78kHighest 68% above MA |
$646,000±$38kLowest 15% above MA |
$658,600±$26k 17% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,485±$209Lowest 16% below MA |
$2,081±$187Highest 18% above MA |
$2,017±$738 14% above MA |
| Hull and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,094Lowest 32% below MA |
$6,089Highest about the MA average |
$4,189 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.7%±21.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.7%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Chatham and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 18% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
25 min 14% below MA |
| Work from home | 25.5%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Chatham and Hull 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 | #130 of 282 in MA | #66 of 282 in MA | #157 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Monomoy Regional School District | Hull | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | Hull High | Monomoy Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.8Lowest |
11.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.