What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).

Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Marblehead	Ashland
People
Population	20,413Highest	18,873Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±2Highest 23% above MA	42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA
Kids under 18	22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%	18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Marblehead and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Marblehead and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	78.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	60.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%
	Ashland and Marblehead 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	$127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA	$611,700±$18kLowest 9% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average	$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,309Highest 39% above MA	$7,444Lowest 24% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Ashland and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.4%Highest MA: 10%	3.5%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 13% above MA	37 minHighest 26% above MA
Work from home	34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	22.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#47 of 282 in MA	#42 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Ashland
High school in town	—	Ashland High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	14.0
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.