Compare towns
Salem vs Wareham vs Marblehead vs Peabody
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).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Marblehead has the highest household income ($182k).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Wareham | Marblehead | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,795 |
23,302 |
20,413Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
49.1±2 23% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
| Wareham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Peabody 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% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
| 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 about the MA average |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$5,065 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1944 20 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Wareham | Marblehead | Peabody |
| High school in town | Salem High | Wareham Senior High | Marblehead High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
8.6Lowest |
10.7Highest |
10.3 |
| 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.