Compare towns
Salem vs Temple vs Woburn
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%).
Temple has the most homeowners (82.2%).
Woburn has the most expensive homes ($674k median).
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 | Temple | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
1,363Lowest |
41,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
39.3±1.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Woburn and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Temple and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$94,107±$15k 17% above U.S. |
$111,185±$9kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Woburn and Temple 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. |
$401,000±$27kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$673,500±$17kHighest 102% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
$1,169±$523Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$2,221±$77Highest 57% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114 96% above U.S. |
$6,983Highest 124% above U.S. |
$5,354Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.2%±54.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woburn 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem and Temple 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 | — | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Contoocook Valley School District | Woburn |
| High school in town | Salem High | None in town | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
| 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.