Compare towns
Marblehead vs Salem vs Sutton
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).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
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 | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413 |
44,795Highest |
2,239Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Sutton 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% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Marblehead and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Marblehead and Sutton 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% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Sutton 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. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31k 61% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 25% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614Lowest 17% 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. |
$6,114Lowest 96% above U.S. |
$7,652 145% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Marblehead 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% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #47 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Marblehead | Salem | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Salem High | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
9.8Lowest |
10.4 |
| 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.