Compare towns
Hanson vs Marblehead vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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%).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Hanson | Marblehead | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,660 |
20,413Highest |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3Lowest 7% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest 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%±3 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Hanson and Middleton 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 |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
| Marblehead and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $533,900±$36kLowest 5% below MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
| 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 |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest 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% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #149 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Marblehead | Middleton |
| High school in town | Whitman Hanson Regional | Marblehead High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.