Compare towns
Whiting vs Marblehead vs Orleans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Orleans has the most affordable homes ($156k 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 | Whiting | Marblehead | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532Lowest |
20,413Highest |
809 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S. |
41.7±5.8 7% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Marblehead and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38k 13% above U.S. |
$182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
$57,159±$10kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36k 16% below U.S. |
$943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
$156,300±$18kLowest 53% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519 15% below U.S. |
$1,764±$147Highest 25% above U.S. |
$810±$94Lowest 43% below U.S. |
| Marblehead and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227 36% above U.S. |
$8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
$3,019Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whiting and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #47 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Marblehead | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Marblehead High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.

