Compare towns
Marblehead vs Norwell vs Hingham
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 shortest commute (33 min average).
Norwell has the most kids (28.5% under 18).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k 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 | Norwell | Hingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413 |
11,361Lowest |
24,283Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
39.2±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
48.4±2.4 21% above MA |
| Marblehead and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
28.5%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Norwell and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hingham and Marblehead 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% |
69.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Norwell 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±$28k 75% above MA |
$188,699±$25kHighest 82% above MA |
$178,390±$15kLowest 72% above MA |
| Norwell 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 |
$865,700±$35kLowest 54% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,215±$336 26% above MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
| Hingham and Norwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
67.1%±24.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12 MA: 51.8% |
| Norwell and Hingham 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% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
35 min 21% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
27.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Hingham 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 | #80 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Norwell | Hingham |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Norwell High | Hingham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.7 |
12.9Highest |
| 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.