Compare towns
Salem vs Sutton vs Upton 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).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k median).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Sutton | Upton | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,795 |
9,452 |
8,189Lowest |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
| Upton 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% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Sutton 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% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Upton 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% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA |
| Peabody and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
| 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 |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest 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% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
65.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Sutton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Peabody |
| High school in town | Salem High | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.6Highest |
11.2 |
10.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.