Compare towns
Webster vs Marblehead vs Douglas vs Whitman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k 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.
| Measure | Webster | Marblehead | Douglas | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
20,413Highest |
9,207Lowest |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
31.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
| Marblehead and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
$472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
| Whitman and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Marblehead | Douglas | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Marblehead High | Douglas High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
10.7 |
7.2Lowest |
— |
| 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.