Compare towns
Salem vs Middleton vs Peabody vs Marblehead
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).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Peabody has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
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 | Middleton | Peabody | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,795 |
9,816Lowest |
54,695Highest |
20,413 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
| Marblehead and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Peabody 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% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Marblehead 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% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
| Marblehead and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
| Peabody and Salem 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 |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
| 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%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6% MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1944 20 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
30 min 3% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Middleton | Peabody | Marblehead |
| High school in town | Salem High | None in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 10.3 |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.