Compare towns
Dedham vs Peabody vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the highest household income ($129k).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Dedham | Peabody | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
54,695Highest |
9,281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Peabody and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
$93,361±$6kLowest 10% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$478,700±$27kLowest 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$1,691±$411Lowest 4% below MA |
| Dedham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$5,065 15% below MA |
$4,604Lowest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Dedham and Salisbury 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Peabody | Triton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Highest |
10.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.