Compare towns
Marblehead vs Exeter vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Exeter | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413 |
16,151Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Marblehead and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Exeter 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 126% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309 166% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$6,114Lowest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #47 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Salem |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Exeter High School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
12.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.