Compare towns
Hull vs Walpole vs Hingham vs Harwich
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 most affordable homes ($646k median).
Walpole has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
Harwich has the shortest commute (25 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 | Walpole | Hingham | Harwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,138Lowest |
26,388Highest |
24,283 |
13,598 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±1.8 40% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
48.4±2.4 21% above MA |
58.6±1.5Highest 47% above MA |
| Harwich and Hull 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% |
25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
11.7%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Walpole and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
35.8%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.4% MA: 47.3% |
76.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Hull 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 |
$171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$96,966±$13kLowest 7% below MA |
| Hingham and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,000±$38kLowest 15% above MA |
$687,100±$20k 22% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$658,600±$26k 17% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,081±$187 18% above MA |
$2,205±$222 25% above MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$2,017±$738Lowest 14% above MA |
| Hingham and Walpole 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 |
$8,523 42% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,189Lowest 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.7%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Harwich 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% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
84.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
25 minLowest 14% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Hingham and Walpole 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 | #66 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #157 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Hingham | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | Walpole High | Hingham High | Monomoy Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Lowest |
12.9Highest |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.