Compare towns
Salem vs Upton 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%).
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 | Upton | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,795Highest |
8,189Lowest |
41,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest 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 |
39.3±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%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% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$111,185±$9k 7% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$673,500±$17kHighest 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,221±$77Highest 26% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,114 about the MA average |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest 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% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 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 |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Salem 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salem | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Woburn |
| High school in town | Salem High | Blackstone Valley | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.2Highest |
11.2Highest |
| 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.