Compare towns
Marblehead vs Marshfield vs Reading
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 expensive homes ($944k median).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($680k median).
Reading has the shortest commute (31 min average).
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 | Marshfield | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413Lowest |
25,879Highest |
25,612 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
| Marblehead and Marshfield 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% |
19.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading 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% |
20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Reading 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% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Marshfield 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 |
$125,986±$8kLowest 21% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
| Marblehead and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$680,300±$27kLowest 21% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
| Reading and Marshfield 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 |
$6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Reading 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 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Marshfield | Reading |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Marshfield High | Reading Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.0 |
12.1Highest |
| 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.