Compare towns
Marblehead vs Northbridge vs Upton 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).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
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 | Northbridge | Upton | Wayland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,413Highest |
16,458 |
8,189Lowest |
13,914 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
45±1.5 13% above MA |
| Marblehead and Upton 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% |
21.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
24.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Wayland 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Upton 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% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
78.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge 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±$28k 75% above MA |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$224,000±$28kHighest 115% above MA |
| Wayland 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 |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$978,400±$36kHighest 74% above MA |
| Wayland and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147Highest about the MA average |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,475±$603 16% below MA |
| Marblehead and Wayland 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 |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.8%±16Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #18 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wayland |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | Wayland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
10.8 |
11.2Highest |
10.9 |
| 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.