Marblehead vs Salem
You are paying about $625k more for a 4BR in Marblehead, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $625k for one tier of schooling.
Salem is about 9 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak, and it has MBTA rail while Marblehead does not. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
On tax, look past the rate: Salem works out roughly $3,800 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR — despite having the higher rate of the two, because the bill follows the house.
Choose Marblehead if you want the stronger schools of the two.
All Marblehead numbers →Choose Salem if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most, or you want a train.
All Salem numbers →Side by side
The better of the two is highlighted on each row. Where a row is not highlighted, the two are close enough that calling a winner would be false precision.
| Marblehead | Salem | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | strong schoolsT2 | solid schoolsT3 |
| MCAS percentile | 82nd | 21st |
| Niche district rank | 44th of 236 | — |
| 4BR house | $1.35MT3 | $725kT2 |
| 2BR condo | $665k | $425k |
| Commute to Boston | 56 minT3 | 47 minT3 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~38 min to terminal |
| Tax rate | $8.56T1 | $10.78T2 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$11,600 | ≈$7,800 |
| 3BR rent | $3,287/mo | $3,287/mo |
Prices are estimates calibrated to the Zillow Home Value Index and Redfin; tax rates are FY2026 residential rates and the bill applies that rate to the town’s own median 4BR estimate; commutes take the rail leg from the MBTA timetable and still model the drive; rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents. School tiers are editorial and shown next to the state’s own MCAS figures. Data last reviewed — see the methodology. This comparison never uses demographics as an input.
