What stands out worked out from the figures below

Eastham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.1%).

Marblehead has the highest household income ($182k).

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	Eastham	Marblehead
People
Population	5,811Lowest	20,413Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	60.4±2.5Highest 51% above MA	49.1±2Lowest 23% above MA
Kids under 18	12.5%±3Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	40.9%±6Highest MA: 17.9%	22.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	78.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	3.8%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Marblehead and Eastham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,992±$8kLowest 30% below MA	$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$732,200±$63kLowest 30% above MA	$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,747±$101Lowest about the MA average	$1,764±$147Highest about the MA average
	Marblehead and Eastham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,973Lowest 17% below MA	$8,309Highest 39% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	83.8%±77.7Highest MA: 51.8%	49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Eastham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.7%Highest MA: 10%	4.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	85.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 36% below MA	33 minHighest 13% above MA
Work from home	20.4%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#17 of 282 in MA	#47 of 282 in MA
School district	Eastham · Nauset	Marblehead
High school in town	Nauset Regional High	Marblehead High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	10.7Highest
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.