What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marblehead has the most affordable homes ($944k median).

Wellesley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Marblehead	Wellesley
People
Population	20,413Lowest	30,347Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±2Highest 23% above MA	37.1±2.2Lowest 7% below MA
Kids under 18	22.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	24.1%±2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Wellesley and Marblehead 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%	15.5%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	78.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	89%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	18.3%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$182,132±$28kLowest 75% above MA	$250,001Highest 140% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$943,900±$31kLowest 68% above MA	$1,582,700±$49kHighest 182% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average	$2,886±$360Highest 64% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,309Lowest 39% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8%	44.1%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Marblehead and Wellesley 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%	4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	84.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA	1955Highest 9 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 13% above MA	27 minLowest 7% below MA
Work from home	34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	32%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Marblehead and Wellesley 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	#6 of 282 in MA
School district	Marblehead	Wellesley
High school in town	Marblehead High	Wellesley Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	10.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.