Compare towns
Marblehead vs Salem vs Stow
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).
Stow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.9%).
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 | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413 |
44,795Highest |
7,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Marblehead and Stow 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% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Stow 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
| Stow and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
| Salem and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309 39% above MA |
$6,114Lowest about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow 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 MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944 20 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Marblehead 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 | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Salem | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
9.8Lowest |
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| 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.