Compare towns
Marlborough vs Plainfield 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
Marlborough has the highest household income ($92k).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Marlborough | Plainfield | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,647 |
15,141Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1.3 4% below U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.3±1.5Highest about the U.S. average |
| Salem and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Marlborough and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.9%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salem and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,968±$9kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Marlborough and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $513,100±$28k 54% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
| Salem and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,871±$123Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
| Marlborough and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,747 84% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marlborough and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #215 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough | Plainfield School District | Salem |
| High school in town | Assabet Valley Vocational High School | Plainfield High School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1 |
10.3Highest |
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.