Compare towns
Salem vs Dalton vs Marlborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Marlborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
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 | Salem | Dalton | Marlborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
6,256Lowest |
41,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Marlborough and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5k 18% below MA |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$91,968±$9kHighest 12% below MA |
| Marlborough and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$513,100±$28k 9% below MA |
| Salem and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,871±$123Highest 6% above MA |
| Marlborough and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114Highest about the MA average |
$4,276Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,747 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marlborough and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
7.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
56% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | #192 of 282 in MA | #215 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Central Berkshire | Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough |
| High school in town | Salem High | Wahconah Regional High | Assabet Valley Vocational High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.9Highest |
10.1 |
| 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.