What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marlborough has the most affordable homes ($267k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Marlborough	Salem
People
Population	2,207Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	46±9.2Highest 18% above U.S.	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average
	Marlborough and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.5%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	23.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,032±$9kLowest 14% below U.S.	$85,153±$5kHighest 5% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$267,200±$35kLowest 20% below U.S.	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,133±$323Lowest 20% below U.S.	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,362Highest 104% above U.S.	$6,114Lowest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.4%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Salem and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	12.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	12.3%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Marlborough School District	Salem
High school in town	None in town	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	9.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.