Compare towns
Marblehead vs Bow vs Hingham vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Bow | Hingham | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,413 |
8,335Lowest |
24,283 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
48.4±2.4 24% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Marblehead and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hingham 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
76.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Bow 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 126% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$178,390±$15k 121% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31k 184% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 241% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 25% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,465±$603Highest 74% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
| Hingham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309 166% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,114Lowest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.3%±12Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hingham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.1%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marblehead and Hingham 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #14 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Bow School District | Hingham | Salem |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | Hingham High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
12.9Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.