Compare towns
Hull vs Needham vs Marblehead vs Quincy
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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Quincy has the most renters (54.8% 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 | Needham | Marblehead | Quincy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,138Lowest |
32,459 |
20,413 |
102,114Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+10.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
49.1±2 23% above MA |
38.6±0.8Lowest 4% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
14.5%±1 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hull and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.4% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
78.3% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,485±$14k 11% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
$98,882±$5kLowest 5% below MA |
| Needham and Marblehead 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 |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$943,900±$31k 68% above MA |
$618,500±$14kLowest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,081±$187 18% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,118±$59 20% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,089Lowest about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$6,381 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
48.7%±3.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
10.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946 18 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±1.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Needham 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #147 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hull | Needham | Marblehead | Quincy |
| High school in town | Hull High | Needham High | Marblehead High | North Quincy High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8Lowest |
11.9 |
10.7 |
15.5Highest |
| 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.