Compare towns
Whitman vs Salem vs Abington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitman has the most affordable homes ($473k median).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Abington has the highest household income ($125k).
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 | Whitman | Salem | Abington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,295Lowest |
44,795Highest |
17,053 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±1.8Highest about the MA average |
39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
39.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Whitman and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Abington and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Salem and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$125,400±$12kHighest 21% above MA |
| Abington and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,700±$12kLowest 16% below MA |
$542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA |
$539,600±$34k 4% below MA |
| Salem and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$151 about the MA average |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,724±$250Lowest about the MA average |
| Salem and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Lowest about the MA average |
$6,114 about the MA average |
$7,045Highest 18% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #191 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #143 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Salem | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Salem High | — |
| 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.