Compare towns
Harvard vs Lancaster vs Marblehead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($519k median).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
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 | Harvard | Lancaster | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,927Lowest |
8,606 |
20,413Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
| Marblehead and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
| Harvard and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $833,600±$54k 48% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Marblehead 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 |
$7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 9% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #12 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Harvard | Nashoba | Marblehead |
| High school in town | The Bromfield High School | None in town | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.