Compare towns
Beverly vs Temple vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has the most expensive homes ($650k median).
Temple has the most homeowners (82.2%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Temple | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,665 |
1,363Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Beverly and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Beverly and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$94,107±$15k 17% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Beverly and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$401,000±$27kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106 25% above U.S. |
$1,169±$523Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Salem and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836 119% above U.S. |
$6,983Highest 124% above U.S. |
$6,114Lowest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.2%±54.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Beverly and Salem 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 |
| School district | Beverly | Contoocook Valley School District | Salem |
| High school in town | Beverly High | None in town | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| 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.