Compare towns
Marblehead vs Reading vs Wayland
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1944).
Reading has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
Wayland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
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 | Reading | Wayland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413Highest |
699Lowest |
13,914 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2 26% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
45±1.5Lowest 16% 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% |
24.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wayland and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
78.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayland 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 126% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$224,000±$28kHighest 177% above U.S. |
| 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 184% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$978,400±$36kHighest 194% above U.S. |
| 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 25% above U.S. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,475±$603 4% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309 166% 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%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±16Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
35.1%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #18 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Wayland |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | None in town | Wayland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 10.9Highest |
| 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.