Compare towns
Salem vs Windham 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).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
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 | Windham | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
19,188Lowest |
20,413 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Marblehead and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%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% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,764±$147 25% above U.S. |
| Salem and Marblehead 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. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Marblehead 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | #95 of 133 in ME | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | RSU 14 | Marblehead |
| High school in town | Salem High | Windham High School | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.1Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.