Compare towns
Marblehead vs Springfield 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).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($384k 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 | Springfield | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413 |
1,122Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2 26% above U.S. |
51.4±8.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Springfield 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% |
15.1%±8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Marblehead and Springfield 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% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
$100,893±$19k 25% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
$384,100±$50kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 25% above U.S. |
$1,096±$217Lowest 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. |
$5,946Lowest 91% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 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 |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | — | 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.