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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
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 |
16,038Lowest |
20,413 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Marblehead 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% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$182,132±$28k 126% above U.S. |
| Windham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18kLowest 63% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50k 117% above U.S. |
$943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,764±$147Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114Lowest 96% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,309 166% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Windham 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% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Windham School District | — |
| High school in town | Salem High | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.