Compare towns
Marblehead vs Hampton Beach 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 highest household income ($182k).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Hampton Beach | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413 |
2,605Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2 26% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
$82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
$508,900±$76kLowest 53% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 25% above U.S. |
$1,375±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above 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 | $8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
$6,115 96% above U.S. |
$6,114Lowest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach 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% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs 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 4% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marblehead and Hampton Beach 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 | Marblehead | — | Salem |
| High school 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 |
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.