Compare towns
Marblehead vs Reading 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).
Reading has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
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 | Marblehead | Reading | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413 |
699Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2 26% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Reading 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Marblehead and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading 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% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 25% above U.S. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$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. |
$5,754Lowest 84% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading 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% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marblehead and Reading 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Salem |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | None in town | 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.