Compare towns
Hingham vs Medford
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 kids (23.4% under 18).
Medford has the most affordable homes ($756k 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.
| Measure | Hingham | Medford |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 24,283Lowest |
59,354Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
35.9±1Lowest 10% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 76.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$129,540±$8kLowest 25% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$755,500±$23kLowest 34% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,465±$603Lowest 40% above MA |
$2,509±$94Highest 42% above MA |
| Medford and Hingham 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 |
$6,286Lowest 5% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.1%±4.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1942Lowest 22 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #14 of 282 in MA | #203 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hingham | Medford |
| High school in town | Hingham High | Medford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
9.2Lowest |
| 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.