Compare towns
Hull vs Melrose vs Mashpee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hull has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Mashpee has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Hull | Melrose | Mashpee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,138Lowest |
29,650Highest |
15,384 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
43.6±1.1Lowest 9% above MA |
55.9±1.8 40% above MA |
| Hull and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.4% MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Melrose and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,485±$14k 11% above MA |
$133,953±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$95,299±$13kLowest 8% below MA |
| Melrose and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,000±$38k 15% above MA |
$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
$562,200±$29kLowest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,081±$187Highest 18% above MA |
$1,970±$149 12% above MA |
$1,776±$330Lowest about the MA average |
| Hull and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,089 about the MA average |
$7,578Highest 26% above MA |
$3,762Lowest 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hull and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946 18 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 282 in MA | #62 of 282 in MA | #100 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Melrose | Mashpee |
| High school in town | — | Melrose High | Mashpee Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
9.6Lowest |
| 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.