Compare towns
Marblehead vs Salem vs Ware 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 most homeowners (85.2%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k 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.
| Measure | Marblehead | Salem | Ware | Hingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,413 |
44,795Highest |
10,048Lowest |
24,283 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
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%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 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% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$85,153±$5k 18% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$178,390±$15k 72% above MA |
| 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 68% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
| Hingham and Salem 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 |
$6,114 about the MA average |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944 20 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Salem | Ware | Hingham |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Salem High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Hingham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
9.8Lowest |
11.1 |
12.9Highest |
| 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.