Compare towns
Hingham vs Marblehead vs Westford
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 expensive homes ($1134k median).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Marblehead | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,283 |
20,413Lowest |
24,690Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.4±2.4 21% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
42.8±1.2Lowest 7% 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% |
22.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westford 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% |
22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
73.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Westford and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $178,390±$15kLowest 72% above MA |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
$187,198±$10kHighest 80% above MA |
| Westford and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$943,900±$31k 68% above MA |
$748,500±$32kLowest 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,436±$422 38% above MA |
| Hingham and Westford 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 |
$8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
$9,695 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±8 MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3% MA: 10% |
4.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
85.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
27%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead 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 | #47 of 282 in MA | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hingham | Marblehead | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | Hingham High | Marblehead High | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
10.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.