Compare towns
Marblehead vs Sutton vs Acton 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 highest household income ($182k).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k median).
Acton has the most renters (25.1% rent).
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 | Sutton | Acton | Hingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,413 |
9,452Lowest |
24,155 |
24,283Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% 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% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham and Acton 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% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Sutton 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 75% above MA |
$147,125±$25kLowest 42% above MA |
$158,230±$14k 52% above 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 |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$807,300±$20k 44% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,986±$155 13% above MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
| Hingham and Acton 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 |
$6,763Lowest 13% 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%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 19% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Acton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Sutton | Acton-Boxborough | Hingham |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Sutton High School | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Hingham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.6 |
13.5Highest |
12.9 |
| 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.