Compare towns
Deerfield vs Middleton vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Deerfield | Middleton | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158Lowest |
9,816 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Middleton and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Deerfield and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Salem and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14k about the MA average |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Lowest about the MA average |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 40% below MA |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Salem and Deerfield 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Middleton | Salem |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | None in town | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| 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.