Compare towns
Peabody vs Springfield vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peabody has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
Springfield has the most homeowners (90.7%).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Springfield | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
1,122Lowest |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
51.4±8.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Springfield and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Peabody and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,657±$4k 20% above U.S. |
$100,893±$19kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Springfield and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12kHighest 79% above U.S. |
$384,100±$50kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,096±$217Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
| 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 62% above U.S. |
$5,946 91% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem and Springfield 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 | — | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | — | Salem |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | — | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.