Compare towns
Marblehead vs Salem vs Ware
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 highest household income ($182k).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k 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 | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413 |
44,795Highest |
10,048Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Marblehead and Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Ware 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$85,153±$5k 18% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| 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 39% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware 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% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944 20 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #47 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Salem | Ware |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Salem High | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
9.8Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.