What stands out worked out from the figures below

Melrose has the most affordable homes ($823k median).

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.

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

Measure	Melrose	Hingham
People
Population	29,650Highest	24,283Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+9.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.6±1.1Lowest 9% above MA	48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA
Kids under 18	20.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%
	Hingham and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62%Lowest MA: 47.3%	76.2%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Melrose and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$133,953±$14kLowest 29% above MA	$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$822,900±$20kLowest 46% above MA	$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,970±$149Lowest 12% above MA	$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA
	Hingham and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,578Lowest 26% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.3%±8.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8%
	Hingham and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.8%Lowest MA: 10%	4.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	80.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minLowest 19% above MA	36 minHighest 24% above MA
Work from home	29.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Hingham and Melrose 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	#62 of 282 in MA	#14 of 282 in MA
School district	Melrose	Hingham
High school in town	Melrose High	Hingham High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	12.9Highest
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.