Compare towns
Marion vs Salem vs Edgartown
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).
Edgartown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.1%).
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 | Edgartown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,310 |
44,795Highest |
5,278Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+27.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
51.9±8.6 30% above MA |
| Marion and Edgartown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
10%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Marion and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.7%±8.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Edgartown and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
56.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±4.3 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±3.2Lowest 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 |
$125,236±$33k 20% above MA |
| Marion and Edgartown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $653,500±$47k 16% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$1,199,300±$262kHighest 113% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,796±$470 about the MA average |
| Salem and Edgartown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,766 4% below MA |
$6,114Highest about the MA average |
$5,641Lowest 6% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
30%±35.6Lowest 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% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
12 minLowest 60% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±8.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
25.6%±15.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Edgartown and Salem 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 | #242 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marion | Salem | Edgartown |
| 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.