Compare towns
Marblehead vs Needham vs Rowley vs Upton
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 people working from home (34%).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Rowley has the oldest population (median age 50).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k 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 | Needham | Rowley | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,413 |
32,459Highest |
6,251Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2 23% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Rowley and Marblehead 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Upton 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% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Rowley 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Rowley 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$132,734±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
| Needham 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 |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$667,300±$52k 19% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min 3% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Needham 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 | #214 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Needham | Triton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Needham High | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— | 11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.