Compare towns
Cornish vs Salem vs Croydon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Croydon has the most kids (19% under 18).
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 | Cornish | Salem | Croydon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816 |
44,795Highest |
798Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
43±9.1 11% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Croydon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
19%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Croydon and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Croydon and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Croydon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$98,333±$21kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Croydon and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$317,300±$33k 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$991±$336Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$3,806Lowest 22% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
7.1%±75.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #248 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Salem | Croydon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.