Compare towns
Salem vs Dover 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 renters (50.3% rent).
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
Marlborough has the most affordable homes ($513k 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 | Salem | Dover | Marlborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
2,308Lowest |
41,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.3% MA: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
47.5±4Highest 19% above MA |
37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Salem and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% MA: 47.3% |
83.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
9.4%±4.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$91,968±$9k 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$1,308,300±$149kHighest 133% above MA |
$513,100±$28kLowest 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84Lowest 4% above 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 | $6,114 about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,747Lowest 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
58.9%±6.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Dover and Marlborough 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% |
3.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
56% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
37.4%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #215 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | — | Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough |
| High school in town | Salem High | — | Assabet Valley Vocational High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 10.1Highest |
| 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.