Compare towns
Salem vs Bath vs Peabody
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Peabody has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
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 | Salem | Bath | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795 |
8,815Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
| Bath and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8Highest 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+ | 17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$96,657±$4kHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$596,200±$12kHighest 79% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
$1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,950±$99Highest 38% 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 | $6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$5,065 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest 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 | 12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem and Bath 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #31 of 133 in ME | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Peabody |
| High school in town | Salem High | Morse High School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
14.8Highest |
10.3 |
| 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.