Compare towns
Salem vs Dedham vs Peabody
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Dedham has the highest household income ($129k).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Dedham | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795 |
25,237Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
| Peabody and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Peabody and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
| Dedham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114 about the MA average |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Salem and Dedham 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Dedham | Peabody |
| High school in town | Salem High | Dedham High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.4Highest |
10.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.