Compare towns
Marblehead vs Wolfeboro 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).
Wolfeboro has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Wolfeboro | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413 |
6,571Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2 26% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
$94,375±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60k 64% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18kLowest 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 25% above U.S. |
$1,103±$76Lowest 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. |
$4,531Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #47 of 282 in MA | #46 of 120 in NH | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Salem |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | Kingswood Regional High School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
11.1Highest |
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.