Compare towns
Woburn vs Brooklyn 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
Woburn has the most expensive homes ($674k median).
Brooklyn has the most homeowners (81.7%).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Woburn | Brooklyn | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,939 |
8,517Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brooklyn and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,185±$9kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Woburn and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $673,500±$17kHighest 102% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,221±$77Highest 57% above U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,836±$84 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,354 72% above U.S. |
$4,538Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Woburn and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #169 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Woburn | Brooklyn School District | Salem |
| High school in town | Woburn High | None in town | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
— | 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.