What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hudson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.4%).

Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k 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	Hudson	Marblehead
People
Population	20,077Lowest	20,413Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA	49.1±2Highest 23% above MA
Kids under 18	19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Marblehead and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Marblehead and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	78.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Hudson and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,400±$13kLowest about the MA average	$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA	$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA	$1,764±$147Highest about the MA average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,892Lowest 15% above MA	$8,309Highest 39% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Marblehead and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.3%Highest MA: 10%	4.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA	1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 6% above MA	33 minHighest 13% above MA
Work from home	19.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#224 of 282 in MA	#47 of 282 in MA
School district	Hudson	Marblehead
High school in town	Hudson High	Marblehead High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.2Lowest	10.7Highest
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.