Compare towns
Marblehead vs Salem vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marblehead has the highest household income ($182k).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
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 | Marblehead | Salem | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413Lowest |
44,795Highest |
23,302 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2 23% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Wareham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
| Salem and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Salem and Wareham 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% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944 20 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #47 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Salem | Wareham |
| High school in town | — | Salem High | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.