Compare towns
Marion vs Salem vs Ashby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marion has the highest household income ($143k).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Ashby has the most affordable homes ($391k 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 | Marion | Salem | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,310 |
44,795Highest |
3,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
50.5±3 26% above MA |
| Marion and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Ashby and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Marion and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7% MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±4.3 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
| Marion and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,200±$484 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,766Lowest 4% below MA |
$6,114Highest about the MA average |
$6,034 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±8.3 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Salem and Marion 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 | #141 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marion | Salem | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.