Compare towns
Hull vs Orleans 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 highest household income ($115k).
Orleans has the most expensive homes ($957k median).
Harwich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Orleans | Harwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,138 |
6,415Lowest |
13,598Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±1.8Lowest 40% above MA |
64.7±2.5Highest 62% above MA |
58.6±1.5 47% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
10.6%±2.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
11.7%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Harwich and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
49.3%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
35.8%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hull and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,485±$14kHighest 11% above MA |
$102,335±$13k about the MA average |
$96,966±$13kLowest 7% below MA |
| Hull and Orleans 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 |
$957,000±$85kHighest 70% above MA |
$658,600±$26k 17% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,081±$187Highest 18% above MA |
$1,502±$703Lowest 15% below MA |
$2,017±$738 14% above MA |
| Hull and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,089Highest about the MA average |
$5,486 8% below MA |
$4,189Lowest 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±22.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.7%±24.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harwich 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% |
8.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.9% MA: 62.5% |
84.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
25 min 14% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
27.4%±5.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Orleans and Hull 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 | #158 of 282 in MA | #157 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hull | Nauset · Orleans | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Hull High | None in town | Monomoy Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8Lowest |
— | 11.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.