Compare towns
Peabody vs Strafford 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 expensive homes ($596k median).
Strafford has the most homeowners (93.5%).
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 | Strafford | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
4,306Lowest |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
46.3±2.1Highest 19% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Strafford 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% |
17.6%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Peabody and Strafford 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% |
19.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peabody and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,657±$4k 20% above U.S. |
$122,105±$22kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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. |
$427,900±$29kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,635±$246Lowest 16% above 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. |
$6,086 95% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.3%±30.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%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 |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem and Strafford 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 | #73 of 120 in NH | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Strafford School District | 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 |
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.