Compare towns
Salem vs Needham 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).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
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 | Needham | Marlborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
32,459Lowest |
41,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Needham 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$91,968±$9k 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$513,100±$28kLowest 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,871±$123 6% above MA |
| 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% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marlborough and Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
56% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #215 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Needham | Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough |
| High school in town | Salem High | Needham High | Assabet Valley Vocational High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.9Highest |
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.