Compare towns
Marblehead vs Lee vs Hingham vs Salem
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 homeowners (85.2%).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Hingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
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 | Lee | Hingham | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,413 |
5,719Lowest |
24,283 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2 23% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
48.4±2.4 21% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Lee and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham and Marblehead 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% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lee and Hingham 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% |
44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Lee 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 |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$178,390±$15k 72% above MA |
$85,153±$5k 18% below MA |
| 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 68% above MA |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,375±$212Lowest 22% below MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
| 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 39% above MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.1% MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944 20 yrs older than MA |
1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Lee | Hingham | Salem |
| High school in town | — | Lee Middle/High School | Hingham High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.2Lowest |
12.9Highest |
9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 20 photos → | 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.