Compare towns
Peabody vs Canton vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Peabody | Canton | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
24,748Lowest |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Peabody and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$6,560Highest 9% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 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 | 7.7% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6% MA: 62.5% |
73.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Canton and Salem 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 | #228 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Salem |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Canton High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
13.1Highest |
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.