Compare towns
Hudson vs Salem vs Peabody
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hudson has the most homeowners (73.2%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Peabody has the most expensive homes ($596k median).
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 | Hudson | Salem | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077Lowest |
44,795 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7 7% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
| Peabody and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Hudson and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1% MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,400±$13kHighest about the MA average |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
| Hudson and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
| Peabody and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892Highest 15% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
65.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 6% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Salem and Hudson 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 | #224 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Salem | Peabody |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Salem High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2 |
9.8Lowest |
10.3Highest |
| 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.