Compare towns
Salem vs Swampscott 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 the most renters (50.3% rent).
Swampscott has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
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 | Swampscott | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
15,277Lowest |
20,413 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
44.5±3.5 11% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
| Marblehead and Swampscott 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% |
20.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.2% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
| Marblehead and Swampscott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114Lowest about the MA average |
$7,936 32% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott 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 MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1955Highest 9 yrs older than MA |
1944 20 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Swampscott 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 | #76 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | — | Marblehead |
| High school in town | Salem High | — | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 10.7Highest |
| 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.