Compare towns

Marblehead vs Reading vs Hingham

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Reading has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
Hingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).

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.

MeasureMarbleheadReadingHingham
People
Population
20,413
699Lowest
24,283Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
49.1±2
26% above U.S.
51.1±7.6Highest
31% above U.S.
48.4±2.4Lowest
24% above U.S.
Reading 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
U.S.: 22%
18.5%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.4%±2.1Highest
U.S.: 22%
Hingham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
22.7%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
28.2%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
26%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
Reading and Hingham 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
U.S.: 35.7%
46%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
76.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.8%±1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.1%±2.5
U.S.: 6.4%
2.9%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Marblehead and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$182,132±$28kHighest
126% above U.S.
$85,000±$19kLowest
5% above U.S.
$178,390±$15k
121% above U.S.
Marblehead and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$943,900±$31k
184% above U.S.
$377,200±$72kLowest
13% above U.S.
$1,134,200±$47kHighest
241% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,764±$147
25% above U.S.
$1,100±$331Lowest
22% below U.S.
$2,465±$603Highest
74% above U.S.
Hingham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,309
166% above U.S.
$5,754Lowest
84% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
49.5%±8.8Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
63.3%±31.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
60.3%±12
U.S.: 51.1%
Reading and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
85.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
84.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
80.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1944Lowest
36 yrs older than U.S.
1969
11 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minLowest
25% above U.S.
33 min
25% above U.S.
36 minHighest
37% above U.S.
Work from home
34%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.9%±10.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
33.1%±3.3
U.S.: 15.1%
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 — #14 of 282 in MA
School district Marblehead Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 Hingham
High school in town Marblehead High None in town Hingham High
Students per teacherat that high school
10.7Lowest
—
12.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet None yet

U.S. 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.