Manchester-by-the-Sea vs Marblehead
On schools these two are genuinely close — same tier and within five MCAS percentiles of each other — so the schools should not decide it. Price and commute should.
On tax, look past the rate: Marblehead works out roughly $2,700 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR.
Choose Manchester-by-the-Sea if you want a train.
All Manchester-by-the-Sea numbers →Choose Marblehead if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most.
All Marblehead numbers →Side by side
The better of the two is highlighted on each row. Where a row is not highlighted, the two are close enough that calling a winner would be false precision.
| Manchester-by-the-Sea | Marblehead | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | strong schoolsT2 | strong schoolsT2 |
| MCAS percentile | 82nd | 82nd |
| Niche district rank | 51st of 236 | 44th of 236 |
| 4BR house | $1.5MT4 | $1.35MT3 |
| 2BR condo | $775k | $665k |
| Commute to Boston | 58 minT3 | 56 minT3 |
| MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~59 min to terminal | No MBTA rail |
| Tax rate | $9.50T1 | $8.56T1 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$14,300 | ≈$11,600 |
| 3BR rent | $3,150/mo | $3,287/mo |
Prices are estimates calibrated to the Zillow Home Value Index and Redfin; tax rates are FY2026 residential rates and the bill applies that rate to the town’s own median 4BR estimate; commutes take the rail leg from the MBTA timetable and still model the drive; rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents. School tiers are editorial and shown next to the state’s own MCAS figures. Data last reviewed — see the methodology. This comparison never uses demographics as an input.
