Compare towns
Salem vs Sutton vs Norwood
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 people working from home (21.6%).
Sutton has the most homeowners (95.7%).
Norwood has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Norwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
2,239Lowest |
31,542 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
39±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Norwood 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% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$107,030±$11k 33% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$651,700±$13kHighest 96% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614Lowest 17% above U.S. |
$2,116±$83Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114 96% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$6,111Lowest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.3%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Norwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
54% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | — | #176 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Kearsarge Regional School District | Norwood |
| High school in town | Salem High | Kearsarge Regional High School | Norwood High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.4 |
11.5Highest |
| 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.