Compare towns
Salem vs Framingham vs Marblehead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
Framingham has the youngest population (median age 37.5).
Marblehead has the highest household income ($182k).
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 | Framingham | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795 |
72,399Highest |
20,413Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.9% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Framingham 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% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.7% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Framingham 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 |
$107,419±$6k 3% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$627,300±$10k 12% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$2,033±$57Highest 15% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114Lowest about the MA average |
$6,884 15% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Salem and Framingham 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% |
10.4% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
54.8% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1944 20 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min 4% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | #229 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | — |
| High school in town | Salem High | Framingham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.