Compare towns
Marblehead vs Walpole vs Hingham vs Swampscott
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 people working from home (34%).
Walpole has the most affordable homes ($687k median).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k median).
Swampscott has the most renters (24.1% rent).
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 | Walpole | Hingham | Swampscott |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,413 |
26,388Highest |
24,283 |
15,277Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
48.4±2.4 21% above MA |
44.5±3.5 11% 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% |
25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Walpole and Hingham 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% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6 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% |
67.4% MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
62.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole and Swampscott 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 |
$171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
$178,390±$15k 72% above MA |
$134,386±$23kLowest 29% 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 |
$687,100±$20kLowest 22% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,205±$222 25% above MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$2,303±$143 31% above MA |
| Hingham and Swampscott 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 |
$8,523 42% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,936Lowest 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6Lowest 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 | #107 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #76 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Hingham | — |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Walpole High | Hingham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.3 |
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.