Compare towns
Marblehead vs Needham vs Concord
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 affordable homes ($944k median).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Concord has the most renters (24.3% 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 | Needham | Concord |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413 |
32,459Highest |
18,223Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
47.6±2 19% above MA |
| Marblehead and Concord 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.6%±2.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Concord 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% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Concord 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
79.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Concord and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $182,132±$28kLowest 75% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$195,350±$22k 88% above MA |
| Needham and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kLowest 68% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43k 111% above MA |
$1,210,000±$72kHighest 115% above MA |
| Concord and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$2,631±$166Highest 49% above MA |
| Concord and Needham 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.2%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Concord 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Concord 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #10 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Needham | Concord · Concord-Carlisle |
| High school in town | — | Needham High | Concord Carlisle High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| 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.