What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanson has the most affordable homes ($534k median).

Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).

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	Hanson	Marblehead
People
Population	10,660Lowest	20,413Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.2%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±3Lowest 7% above MA	49.1±2Highest 23% above MA
Kids under 18	21.6%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Marblehead and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%	22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Marblehead and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%	78.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9%	3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Hanson and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,200±$10kLowest 27% above MA	$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$533,900±$36kLowest 5% below MA	$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA	$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average
	Hanson and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,402Lowest 7% above MA	$8,309Highest 39% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8%	49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hanson and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest MA: 10%	4.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89%Highest MA: 62.5%	85.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA	1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 15% above MA	33 minLowest 13% above MA
Work from home	7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#149 of 282 in MA	#47 of 282 in MA
School district	Whitman-Hanson	Marblehead
High school in town	Whitman Hanson Regional	Marblehead High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	10.7Lowest
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.