Compare towns
Hull vs Salem vs Harwich
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 most people working from home (19.7%).
Salem has the most kids (16.2% under 18).
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 | Salem | Harwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,138Lowest |
30,964Highest |
13,598 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±1.8 44% above U.S. |
44.6±2.7Lowest 15% above U.S. |
58.6±1.5Highest 51% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Salem and Harwich 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% |
18.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
35.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem 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±$14kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$110,490±$9k 37% above U.S. |
$96,966±$13kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Hull and Salem 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. |
$473,300±$16kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$658,600±$26kHighest 98% above U.S. |
| Harwich and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,081±$187Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,625±$146Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$2,017±$738 43% above U.S. |
| Hull and Harwich 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. |
$6,992Highest 124% above U.S. |
$4,189Lowest 34% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±24.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hull and Harwich 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 | #38 of 120 in NH | #157 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hull | Salem School District | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Hull High | Salem High School | Monomoy Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8Lowest |
11.2 |
11.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.