Compare towns
Stockbridge vs Salem vs Nahant
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stockbridge has the most people working from home (52.4%).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).
Nahant has the most expensive homes ($749k 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 | Stockbridge | Salem | Nahant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,056Lowest |
44,795Highest |
3,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 63.7±3.5Highest 59% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
60.7±2.9 52% above MA |
| Stockbridge and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.4%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
11%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Salem and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 47%±7.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
36.2%±6.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Stockbridge and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
61.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,250±$67kHighest 41% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$112,762±$6k 8% above MA |
| Stockbridge and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,000±$99k 7% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$748,800±$99kHighest 33% above MA |
| Nahant and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $858±$375Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,777±$334 about the MA average |
| Salem and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,652Lowest 22% below MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
$6,615Highest 10% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.8%±27Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
53.5%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Stockbridge and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
78.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 52.4%±19.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
18.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #248 of 282 in MA | #129 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Salem | Nahant |
| High school in town | — | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.