Compare towns
Salem vs Springfield vs Worcester
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 people working from home (21.6%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | Springfield | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795Lowest |
154,749 |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Highest about the MA average |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
33.9±0.5 15% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kHighest 18% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114Highest about the MA average |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1952Highest 12 yrs older than MA |
1951 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
24 min 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Springfield | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Salem High | Springfield Central High | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.2 |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.