Compare towns
Marblehead vs Hermon vs Hingham vs Swampscott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marblehead has the most homeowners (85.2%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
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 | Hermon | Hingham | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,413 |
6,727Lowest |
24,283Highest |
15,277 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
48.4±2.4 24% above U.S. |
44.5±3.5 14% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hingham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hingham 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
76.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hermon and Swampscott 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. |
$96,629±$22kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$178,390±$15k 121% above U.S. |
$134,386±$23k 66% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31k 184% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 241% above U.S. |
$771,100±$41k 132% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 25% above U.S. |
$1,406±$202Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,465±$603Highest 74% above U.S. |
$2,303±$143 63% above U.S. |
| Hingham and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309 166% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,936 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.3%±12Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hingham and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.1%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marblehead and Hingham 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #14 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Hermon Public Schools | Hingham | Swampscott |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Hermon High School | Hingham High | Swampscott High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.6Highest |
12.9 |
11.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.