Compare towns
Bath vs Marblehead vs Salem vs West Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Marblehead has the highest household income ($182k).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
West Bath has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Bath | Marblehead | Salem | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
20,413 |
44,795Highest |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
49.1±2 26% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Bath and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27k 28% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102k 27% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,764±$147 25% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
| Salem and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | #47 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Marblehead | Salem | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Marblehead High | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.7 |
9.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.