Compare towns
Marblehead vs Oakham vs Wayland
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 renters (14.8% rent).
Oakham has the most affordable homes ($420k median).
Wayland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
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 | Oakham | Wayland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413Highest |
1,639Lowest |
13,914 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
45±1.5Lowest 13% above MA |
| Marblehead and Oakham 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% |
18.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Wayland and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 78.3% MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 75% above MA |
$102,000±$20kLowest about the MA average |
$224,000±$28kHighest 115% above MA |
| 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 68% above MA |
$420,100±$20kLowest 25% below MA |
$978,400±$36kHighest 74% above MA |
| 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 about the MA average |
$1,174±$81Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,475±$603 16% below MA |
| 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 39% above MA |
$4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
42.8%±16 MA: 51.8% |
| Marblehead and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.1%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | — | #18 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Quabbin | Wayland |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Wayland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.9 |
| 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.