Compare towns
Beverly vs Salem vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has the youngest population (median age 39).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
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 | Beverly | Salem | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,665 |
44,795Highest |
27,793Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
| Wakefield and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Beverly and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4% MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7k about the MA average |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
| Wakefield and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836 14% above MA |
$6,114Lowest about the MA average |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Beverly and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Beverly 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 | #144 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Salem | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Salem High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
9.8Lowest |
10.7 |
| 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.