Compare towns
Salem vs Marlborough vs Beverly
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).
Marlborough has the most kids (20.8% under 18).
Beverly has the most expensive homes ($650k 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 | Marlborough | Beverly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
41,647Lowest |
42,665 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Highest about the MA average |
37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA |
39±1.8 about the MA average |
| Salem and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Marlborough and Beverly 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% |
14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Beverly and Salem 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% |
40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$91,968±$9k 12% below MA |
$106,044±$7kHighest about the MA average |
| Beverly and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$513,100±$28kLowest 9% below MA |
$650,300±$13kHighest 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$1,871±$123Highest 6% above MA |
$1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
| 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 |
$5,747Lowest 4% below MA |
$6,836Highest 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Marlborough and Beverly 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% |
9.6% MA: 10% |
9.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
56% MA: 62.5% |
60.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Beverly and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | #215 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough | Beverly |
| High school in town | Salem High | Assabet Valley Vocational High School | Beverly High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.1 |
12.2Highest |
| 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.