Compare towns
Marblehead vs Meredith vs Wayland
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1944).
Meredith has the most affordable homes ($480k median).
Wayland has the highest household income ($224k).
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 | Meredith | Wayland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413Highest |
6,758Lowest |
13,914 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2 26% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
45±1.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wayland 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 78.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
78.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayland 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±$28k 126% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$224,000±$28kHighest 177% above U.S. |
| Wayland and Marblehead 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. |
$480,100±$48kLowest 44% above U.S. |
$978,400±$36kHighest 194% above U.S. |
| Wayland and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,475±$603 4% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Wayland 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. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±16Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marblehead and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
35.1%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayland 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #18 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Wayland |
| High school in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | Wayland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.