Compare towns
Sutton vs Peabody vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Peabody has the most expensive homes ($596k median).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Sutton | Peabody | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,452Lowest |
54,695Highest |
44,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Peabody and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
| Peabody and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sutton | Peabody | Salem |
| High school in town | Sutton High School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
10.3 |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.