Compare towns
Saugus vs Marion vs Middleborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saugus has the most renters (28.5% rent).
Marion has the highest household income ($143k).
Middleborough has the most affordable homes ($469k 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 | Saugus | Marion | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,773Highest |
5,310Lowest |
24,505 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
43.4±2.1Lowest 9% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
18.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Middleborough and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Marion and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Marion and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,539±$3k about the MA average |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
$97,056±$7kLowest 7% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
$653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
$468,700±$18kLowest 17% below MA |
| Marion and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
$1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,706±$72 3% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,049Highest about the MA average |
$5,766Lowest 4% below MA |
$6,023 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53%±9.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.2%±11.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
76.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest about the MA average |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marion and Saugus 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 | #194 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Saugus | Marion | Middleborough |
| High school in town | Saugus High | None in town | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.5Highest |
— | 11.3Lowest |
| 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.