Compare towns
Salem vs Ogunquit vs Peabody vs Marblehead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Ogunquit | Peabody | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,795 |
1,379Lowest |
54,695Highest |
20,413 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
49.1±2 26% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Marblehead and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4k 20% above U.S. |
$182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18kLowest 63% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
$943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
| Marblehead and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
— | $1,950±$99Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,764±$147Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Peabody and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114 96% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,065 62% above U.S. |
$8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peabody 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Marblehead 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 | — | #228 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | — | Peabody | Marblehead |
| High school in town | Salem High | — | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 10.3 |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.