What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).

Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Marblehead	Ashland
People
Population	20,413Highest	18,873Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±2Highest 23% above MA	42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA
Kids under 18	22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%	18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Marblehead and Ashland 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%	18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Marblehead and Ashland 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%	60.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%
	Ashland 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±$28kHighest 75% above MA	$127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA	$611,700±$18kLowest 9% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average	$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,309Highest 39% above MA	$7,444Lowest 24% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Ashland and Marblehead 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%	3.5%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 13% above MA	37 minHighest 26% above MA
Work from home	34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	22.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#47 of 282 in MA	#42 of 282 in MA
School district	Marblehead	Ashland
High school in town	Marblehead High	Ashland High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	14.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.