Compare towns
Woburn vs Salem vs Beverly
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woburn has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Salem has the most affordable homes ($543k median).
Beverly has the most homeowners (60.1%).
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 | Salem | Beverly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,939Lowest |
44,795Highest |
42,665 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.6Highest about the MA average |
39.3±1.5Highest about the MA average |
39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Beverly 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 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Beverly 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,185±$9kHighest 7% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$106,044±$7k about the MA average |
| Woburn and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $673,500±$17kHighest 20% above MA |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
$650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
| Woburn and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,221±$77Highest 26% above MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
$6,836Highest 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
9.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
60.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 13% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Beverly 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 | #169 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Woburn | Salem | Beverly |
| High school in town | Woburn High | Salem High | Beverly High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
9.8Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| 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.