Compare towns
Salem vs Upton vs Acton vs Woburn
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).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Woburn has the shortest commute (25 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 | Upton | Acton | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
8,189Lowest |
24,155 |
41,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
39.3±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Acton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Acton 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% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$111,185±$9k 7% above MA |
| Acton and Upton 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 |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$673,500±$17k 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,986±$155 13% above MA |
$2,221±$77Highest 26% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114 about the MA average |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9% MA: 62.5% |
55.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #248 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Acton-Boxborough | Woburn |
| High school in town | Salem High | Blackstone Valley | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.2 |
13.5Highest |
11.2 |
| 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.