What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).

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	Hampden
People
Population	20,413Highest	7,896Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S.	41±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S.
Kids under 18	22.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Hampden 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 U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Marblehead and Hampden 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 U.S.: 35.7%	45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Hampden 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 126% above U.S.	$111,959±$13kLowest 39% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S.	$301,300±$38kLowest 9% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,764±$147Highest 25% above U.S.	$1,286±$317Lowest 9% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,309Highest 166% above U.S.	$3,694Lowest 18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.5%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	21.3%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#47 of 282 in MA	#6 of 133 in ME
School district	Marblehead	RSU 22
High school in town	Marblehead High	Hampden Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	14.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.