Compare towns
Wilmington vs Marblehead vs North Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wilmington has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
North Reading has the most renters (15.7% rent).
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 | Wilmington | Marblehead | North Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,336Highest |
20,413 |
15,765Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
43±2.8 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Wilmington and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.6%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| North Reading and Wilmington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $168,152±$19k 62% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$147,768±$25kLowest 42% above MA |
| Marblehead and Wilmington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $680,500±$19kLowest 21% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$710,500±$24k 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,394±$328Highest 36% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,259±$356 28% above MA |
| Wilmington and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,704Lowest 29% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.9%±2 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Wilmington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
4.4%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and North Reading 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 | #73 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wilmington | Marblehead | North Reading |
| High school in town | Wilmington High | Marblehead High | North Reading High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.1Lowest |
10.7Highest |
10.1 |
| 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.