What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wayland has the highest household income ($224k).

Hingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).

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	Wayland	Hingham
People
Population	13,914Lowest	24,283Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45±1.5Lowest 13% above MA	48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA
	Hingham and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	24.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%	23.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Wayland and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.7%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	78.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	76.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Wayland and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$224,000±$28kHighest 115% above MA	$178,390±$15kLowest 72% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$978,400±$36kLowest 74% above MA	$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,475±$603Lowest 16% below MA	$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA
	Hingham and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+ at least 67% above MA	$10,000+ at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.8%±16Lowest MA: 51.8%	60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8%
	Hingham and Wayland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Highest MA: 10%	4.3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.6%Highest MA: 62.5%	80.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 5% above MA	36 minHighest 24% above MA
Work from home	35.1%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%	33.1%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Wayland 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	#18 of 282 in MA	#14 of 282 in MA
School district	Wayland	Hingham
High school in town	Wayland High School	Hingham High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	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.