Compare towns
Lenox vs Wareham vs Marblehead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lenox has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
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 | Lenox | Wareham | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,079Lowest |
23,302Highest |
20,413 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.1±4.3Highest 50% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
49.1±2Lowest 23% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 40.1%±7.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,080±$31k about the MA average |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $466,700±$43k 17% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,091±$238Lowest 38% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,764±$147Highest about the MA average |
| Marblehead and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,299 12% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.2%±18.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.5%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 22% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.3%±8.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #90 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lenox | Wareham | Marblehead |
| High school in town | Lenox Memorial High | Wareham Senior High | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.6Lowest |
8.6 |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.