Compare towns
Gray vs Marblehead vs Salem vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Gray | Marblehead | Salem | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Lowest |
20,413 |
44,795Highest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Marblehead and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Marblehead and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,764±$147 25% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% 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 | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 133 in ME | #47 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Marblehead | Salem | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Marblehead High | Salem High | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
10.7 |
9.8Lowest |
12.1 |
| 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.