What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marblehead has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).

Norton has the most affordable homes ($501k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Marblehead	Norton
People
Population	20,413Highest	19,240Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±2Highest 23% above MA	39.6±1.2Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%	17.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	17.4%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	78.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	45.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	12.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA	$124,535±$11kLowest 20% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA	$501,400±$27kLowest 11% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average	$1,911±$375Highest 8% above MA
	Norton and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,309Highest 39% above MA	$5,929Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8%	46.6%±8.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Marblehead and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.4%Lowest MA: 10%	4.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	83.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 13% above MA	33 minLowest 12% above MA
Work from home	34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	19%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#47 of 282 in MA	#173 of 282 in MA
School district	Marblehead	Norton
High school in town	Marblehead High	Norton High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	10.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.