What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hingham has the most people working from home (33.1%).

Barnstable Town has the most affordable homes ($603k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hingham	Barnstable Town
People
Population	24,283Lowest	49,568Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.4±2.4Lowest 21% above MA	49.1±1.9Highest 23% above MA
	Barnstable Town and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%	17.2%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	26%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.8%±1.8Highest MA: 17.9%
	Barnstable Town and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	76.2%Highest MA: 47.3%	42.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA	$91,982±$6kLowest 12% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA	$602,500±$14kLowest 7% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA	$1,917±$127Lowest 9% above MA
	Hingham and Barnstable Town 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	$3,975Lowest 34% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.3%±12Lowest MA: 51.8%	64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Barnstable Town and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.3%Lowest MA: 10%	7.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA	1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 24% above MA	25 minLowest 15% below MA
Work from home	33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%	12.3%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#14 of 282 in MA	#189 of 282 in MA
School district	Hingham	Barnstable
High school in town	Hingham High	Barnstable High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	10.6Lowest
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.