Compare towns
Marblehead vs Needham 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).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Wayland has the highest household income ($224k).
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 | Needham | Wayland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413 |
32,459Highest |
13,914Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
45±1.5 13% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
24.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Wayland 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% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
78.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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±$28kLowest 75% above MA |
$214,308±$13k 106% above MA |
$224,000±$28kHighest 115% above MA |
| Wayland and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kLowest 68% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$978,400±$36k 74% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,475±$603Lowest 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.8%±16Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Lowest 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #18 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | — | Wayland |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | — | Wayland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 10.9Highest |
| 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.