Compare towns
Marblehead vs Acton vs Duxbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
Acton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Duxbury has the most homeowners (91.2%).
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 | Marblehead | Acton | Duxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413 |
24,155Highest |
16,185Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
47.6±2.3 19% above MA |
| Marblehead and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Duxbury and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 78.3% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
70.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$158,230±$14kLowest 52% above MA |
$176,583±$29k 70% above MA |
| Marblehead and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$807,300±$20kLowest 44% above MA |
$874,600±$35k 56% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,591±$2kLowest 10% below MA |
| Acton and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,518 59% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.8%±31.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Duxbury and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Acton and Marblehead 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 | #47 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #32 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Acton-Boxborough | Duxbury |
| High school in town | — | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Duxbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.