Compare towns
Peabody vs Woonsocket 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 homeowners (65.6%).
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
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 | Woonsocket | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
43,521Lowest |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,657±$4kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12kHighest 79% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% 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 | $5,065 62% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #228 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Salem |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Woonsocket High School | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
15.2Highest |
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.