Compare towns
Harwich vs Marblehead vs Chatham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harwich has the most affordable homes ($659k median).
Marblehead has the most kids (22.3% under 18).
Chatham has the oldest population (median age 63.4).
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 | Harwich | Marblehead | Chatham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,598 |
20,413Highest |
6,681Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.6±1.5 47% above MA |
49.1±2Lowest 23% above MA |
63.4±2.8Highest 59% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 11.7%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
8.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 35.8%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
45.5%±5.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
60.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Marblehead and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,966±$13k 7% below MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$85,167±$9kLowest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $658,600±$26kLowest 17% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$942,800±$78k 68% above MA |
| Marblehead and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,017±$738Highest 14% above MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,485±$209Lowest 16% below MA |
| Harwich and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,189 30% below MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$4,094Lowest 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.7%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.7%±21.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Chatham and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 14% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
24 minLowest 18% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.3%±4.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Chatham 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 | #157 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #130 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Marblehead | Monomoy Regional School District |
| High school in town | Monomoy Regional High School | Marblehead High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 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.