Compare towns
Springfield vs Dedham vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($384k median).
Dedham has the highest household income ($129k).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
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 | Springfield | Dedham | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,122Lowest |
25,237 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±8.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Springfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,893±$19k 25% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $384,100±$50kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$217Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,946Lowest 91% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$6,114 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem and Dedham 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 | — | #119 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Dedham | Salem |
| High school in town | — | Dedham High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.