Compare towns
Marblehead vs Sharon vs Walpole
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 expensive homes ($944k median).
Sharon has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Walpole 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 | Sharon | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413 |
18,574Lowest |
26,388Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.5% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
42.5±1 6% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
76.7% MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Sharon 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 |
$191,835±$19kHighest 85% above MA |
$171,500±$16kLowest 65% above MA |
| Sharon 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±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$737,100±$33k 31% above MA |
$687,100±$20kLowest 22% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,310±$345Highest 31% above MA |
$2,205±$222 25% above MA |
| Sharon and Walpole 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 |
$8,523 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marblehead and Sharon 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% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% MA: 62.5% |
87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
39 minHighest 33% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Sharon 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 | #23 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Sharon | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Sharon High | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.9Highest |
11.3 |
| 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.