Compare towns
Hull vs Lenox vs Hingham vs Boston
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 housing (typical home built 1946).
Lenox has the most affordable homes ($467k median).
Hingham has the most people working from home (33.1%).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
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 | Lenox | Hingham | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,138 |
5,079Lowest |
24,283 |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±1.8 40% above MA |
60.1±4.3Highest 50% above MA |
48.4±2.4 21% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
| Lenox 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% |
13.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
40.1%±7.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.7% MA: 47.3% |
76.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,485±$14k 11% above MA |
$106,080±$31k about the MA average |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,000±$38k 15% above MA |
$466,700±$43kLowest 17% below MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,081±$187 18% above MA |
$1,091±$238Lowest 38% below MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$2,147±$25 22% above MA |
| Hingham and Boston 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 |
$5,299 12% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14 MA: 51.8% |
47.2%±18.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
23 minLowest 22% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±8.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 282 in MA | #90 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hull | Lenox | Hingham | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | Hull High | Lenox Memorial High | Hingham High | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8 |
7.6Lowest |
12.9 |
18.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.