Compare towns
Peabody vs Stow 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).
Stow has the highest household income ($186k).
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 | Stow | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
7,165Lowest |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Peabody and Stow 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% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
$1,782±$126Lowest 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Peabody 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% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 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% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #228 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Nashoba | Salem |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | None in town | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Highest |
— | 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.