Compare towns
Hingham vs Arlington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hingham has the most homeowners (80.7%).
Arlington has the most renters (38.4% rent).
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 | Hingham | Arlington |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 24,283Lowest |
46,350Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
41.6±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 76.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
76.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$150,701±$5kLowest 45% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$933,800±$23kLowest 66% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$2,082±$76Lowest 18% above MA |
| Hingham and Arlington 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 |
$9,604Lowest 60% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
35%±4.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
61.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
32 minLowest 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.1%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Arlington and Hingham 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 | #14 of 282 in MA | #29 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hingham | Arlington |
| High school in town | Hingham High | Arlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| 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.

