Peabody vs Salem
The prices are essentially identical, so schools break the tie: Peabody is ahead — 26th percentile on MCAS against 21st.
On tax, look past the rate: Peabody works out roughly $800 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR.
Choose Peabody if you want the stronger schools of the two, or the commute matters most.
All Peabody numbers →Choose Salem if you want the lower price, or you want a train.
All Salem numbers →Side by side
The better of the two is highlighted on each row. Where a row is not highlighted, the two are close enough that calling a winner would be false precision.
| Peabody | Salem | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | solid schoolsT3 | solid schoolsT3 |
| MCAS percentile | 26th | 21st |
| Niche district rank | — | — |
| 4BR house | $735kT2 | $725kT2 |
| 2BR condo | $425k | $425k |
| Commute to Boston | 45 minT2 | 47 minT3 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~38 min to terminal |
| Tax rate | $9.47T1 | $10.78T2 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$7,000 | ≈$7,800 |
| 3BR rent | $3,130/mo | $3,287/mo |
Prices are estimates calibrated to the Zillow Home Value Index and Redfin; tax rates are FY2026 residential rates and the bill applies that rate to the town’s own median 4BR estimate; commutes take the rail leg from the MBTA timetable and still model the drive; rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents. School tiers are editorial and shown next to the state’s own MCAS figures. Data last reviewed — see the methodology. This comparison never uses demographics as an input.
