Compare towns
Conway vs Marblehead vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Conway has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
Marblehead has the highest household income ($182k).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
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 | Conway | Marblehead | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,755Lowest |
20,413 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.6±3Highest 39% above MA |
49.1±2 23% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.9%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.5% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,250±$11k 6% below MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,900±$25kLowest 30% below MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$990 about the MA average |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
| Salem and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,797Lowest 3% below MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.9%±33.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salem and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1944 20 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 18% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 29.1%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Conway 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 | — | #47 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Conway | Marblehead | Salem |
| High school in town | None in town | Marblehead High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.