Compare towns
Malden vs Needham vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Malden has the most renters (58.7% rent).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Salem has the most affordable homes ($543k 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 | Malden | Needham | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 65,906Highest |
32,459Lowest |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.8±1Lowest 11% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Needham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Malden and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,606±$6k 3% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $633,500±$26k 13% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,204±$62 25% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA |
| Needham and Malden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,995Lowest 17% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.4% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.8%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #184 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Malden | — | Salem |
| High school in town | Malden High | — | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.1Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.