Compare towns
Marblehead vs Salem vs Stoughton
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 most expensive homes ($944k median).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Stoughton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
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 | Salem | Stoughton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413Lowest |
44,795Highest |
29,225 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
45.7±1.9 14% above MA |
| Marblehead and Stoughton 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%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Stoughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.8%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Stoughton 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% |
41.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Stoughton 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 |
$104,794±$6k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$523,800±$28kLowest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$2,050±$200Highest 16% above MA |
| Stoughton and Salem 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 |
$6,114Lowest about the MA average |
$6,215 4% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
68.4%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
8.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944 20 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
15.4%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #47 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #196 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Salem | Stoughton |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Salem High | Stoughton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
9.8Lowest |
10.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.