Compare towns
Concord vs Ware vs Marblehead vs Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Concord has the most expensive homes ($1210k median).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Marblehead has the most homeowners (85.2%).
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Concord | Ware | Marblehead | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,223 |
10,048Lowest |
20,413Highest |
14,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.6±2 19% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
44.3±1.6 11% above MA |
| Marblehead and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±2.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Concord and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Concord and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3% MA: 47.3% |
69.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.5%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Bedford and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $195,350±$22kHighest 88% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
$172,400±$23k 66% above MA |
| Concord and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,210,000±$72kHighest 115% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$943,900±$31k 68% above MA |
$898,500±$43k 60% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,631±$166Highest 49% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$2,622±$327 49% above MA |
| Concord and Bedford 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 |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.2%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
42%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
5.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 36.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Concord and Marblehead 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 | #10 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #7 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Concord · Concord-Carlisle | Ware | Marblehead | Bedford |
| High school in town | Concord Carlisle High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Marblehead High | Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
11.1 |
10.7Lowest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.