Compare towns
Hingham vs Cambridge vs Marblehead vs Lexington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has the most renters (66.5% rent).
Marblehead has the most affordable homes ($944k median).
Lexington has the highest household income ($238k).
Cambridge is a college town. 25.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Cambridge | Marblehead | Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,283 |
118,796Highest |
20,413Lowest |
34,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.4±2.4 21% above MA |
30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
47.3±0.8 18% above MA |
| Marblehead and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
25.5%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lexington and Hingham 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% |
12.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
21.7%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Hingham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 76.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
80.8% MA: 47.3% |
78.3% MA: 47.3% |
84.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $178,390±$15k 72% above MA |
$130,748±$4kLowest 26% above MA |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
$238,444±$18kHighest 129% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,134,200±$47k 102% above MA |
$1,092,100±$42k 94% above MA |
$943,900±$31kLowest 68% above MA |
$1,203,100±$35kHighest 114% above MA |
| Lexington and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,465±$603 40% above MA |
$2,787±$48 58% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,891±$233Highest 64% above MA |
| Lexington and Cambridge 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 |
$4,802Lowest 20% below MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
45%±2.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±7.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Lexington 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% |
12.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7% MA: 62.5% |
33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
30.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
36.7%±3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lexington and Marblehead 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 | #122 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #2 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hingham | Cambridge | Marblehead | Lexington |
| High school in town | Hingham High | Cambridge Rindge and Latin | Marblehead High | Lexington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
9.3Lowest |
10.7 |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.