Compare towns
Hull vs Bow vs Hingham vs Brewster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hull has the oldest housing (typical home built 1946).
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
Brewster has the shortest commute (21 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 | Bow | Hingham | Brewster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,138 |
8,335Lowest |
24,283Highest |
10,420 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±1.8 44% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
48.4±2.4 24% above U.S. |
59.6±4.7Highest 53% above U.S. |
| Brewster 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 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
38.6%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
76.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow 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 43% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$178,390±$15kHighest 121% above U.S. |
$103,317±$16kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Hingham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,000±$38k 94% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 241% above U.S. |
$707,700±$51k 113% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,081±$187 47% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,465±$603Highest 74% above U.S. |
$1,589±$465 12% above U.S. |
| Hingham and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,089 95% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,397Lowest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.3%±12 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.2%±23.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewster and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.3%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #14 of 282 in MA | #160 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hull | Bow School District | Hingham | Brewster |
| High school in town | Hull High | Bow High School | Hingham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8Lowest |
12.8 |
12.9Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.