Compare towns
Salem vs Upton 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).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k 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 | Upton | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
8,189Lowest |
20,413 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
| Marblehead and Upton 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% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Marblehead 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
| Marblehead and Upton 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 |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
| Salem and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114Lowest about the MA average |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Salem and Upton 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% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1944 20 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Marblehead |
| High school in town | Salem High | Blackstone Valley | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.2Highest |
10.7 |
| 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.