Compare towns
Marblehead vs Fall River 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 oldest population (median age 49.1).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
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 | Fall River | Wayland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413 |
94,082Highest |
13,914Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
45±1.5 13% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest 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% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Wayland 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% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Fall River and Wayland 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 |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$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 |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% 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 |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% 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 |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.8%±16Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Marblehead 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% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #18 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Wayland |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | B M C Durfee High | Wayland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.3Highest |
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.