Compare towns
Chester vs Hingham vs Marblehead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most affordable homes ($282k median).
Hingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Marblehead has the most homeowners (85.2%).
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 | Chester | Hingham | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,240Lowest |
24,283Highest |
20,413 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.7Lowest 15% above MA |
48.4±2.4 21% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% 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 | 24.1%±8.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Chester and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5 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+ | 27.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Highest 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 | $89,390±$6kLowest 14% below MA |
$178,390±$15k 72% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% 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 | $281,900±$14kLowest 50% below MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$943,900±$31k 68% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$71Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
| Hingham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,522Lowest 25% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±22.6 MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
4.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 13 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 9% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 7%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest 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 | — | #14 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gateway | Hingham | Marblehead |
| High school in town | None in town | Hingham High | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.