Compare towns
Salem vs Upton vs Dedham 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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).
Marlborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
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 | Upton | Dedham | Marlborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
8,189Lowest |
25,237 |
41,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA |
| Upton and Dedham 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Marlborough 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Upton 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% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$91,968±$9k 12% below MA |
| Upton and Dedham 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 |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$513,100±$28kLowest 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,871±$123 6% above MA |
| Dedham and Marlborough 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$5,747Lowest 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marlborough and Dedham 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
9.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
56% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #215 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Dedham | Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough |
| High school in town | Salem High | Blackstone Valley | Dedham High | Assabet Valley Vocational High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.2Highest |
10.4 |
10.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.