Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Hingham vs Marblehead vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Bow has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Dunbarton | Hingham | Marblehead | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097Lowest |
24,283Highest |
20,413 |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 23% above U.S. |
48.4±2.4 24% above U.S. |
49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
76.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,348±$21kLowest 54% above U.S. |
$178,390±$15k 121% above U.S. |
$182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 241% above U.S. |
$943,900±$31k 184% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$2,465±$603Highest 74% above U.S. |
$1,764±$147 25% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
| Hingham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,233Lowest 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,309 166% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.3%±12Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hingham and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.1%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #14 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Hingham | Marblehead | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hingham High | Marblehead High | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.