Compare towns
Wareham vs Salem vs Marion
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Marion has the highest household income ($143k).
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 | Wareham | Salem | Marion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302 |
44,795Highest |
5,310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
| Marion and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Marion and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Marion and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,114Highest about the MA average |
$5,766 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Salem and Marion 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Salem | Marion |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
9.8Highest |
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| 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.