Compare towns
Woburn vs Upton vs Salem
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 most expensive homes ($674k median).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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 | Woburn | Upton | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,939 |
8,189Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,185±$9k 7% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $673,500±$17kHighest 20% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,221±$77Highest 26% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 13% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Woburn | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Salem |
| High school in town | Woburn High | Blackstone Valley | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
11.2Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.