Compare towns
Peabody vs Mansfield 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).
Mansfield has the highest household income ($125k).
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 | Mansfield | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
23,931Lowest |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
41.4±1.3 4% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Mansfield and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
51.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
$125,273±$15kHighest 21% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$603,500±$28kHighest 7% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
| Mansfield and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
$1,803±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$1,836±$84 4% 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 | $5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$7,226Highest 21% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest 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% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%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 |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Salem and Mansfield 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 | #60 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Mansfield | Salem |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Mansfield High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
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.