Compare towns
Middlefield vs Marblehead vs Washington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the most affordable homes ($333k median).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Washington has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Middlefield | Marblehead | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 352Lowest |
20,413Highest |
526 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-8.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
49.1±2Lowest 23% above MA |
56.5±7.7 41% above MA |
| Middlefield and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 28.7%±8.5 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.4%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Washington and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±4.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Marblehead and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,750±$23k about the MA average |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$95,278±$12kLowest 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,800±$48kLowest 41% below MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$370,700±$32k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
— |
| Middlefield and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,926 18% below MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$4,381Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Middlefield and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.2%±9.2 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±10.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #47 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Marblehead | — |
| High school in town | — | Marblehead High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.