What stands out worked out from the figures below

Andover has the highest household income ($173k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Andover	Salem
People
Population	36,652Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.9±1Highest 7% above MA	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	23.6%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4%	15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	16%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	Salem and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	75.6%Highest MA: 47.3%	47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.1%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Salem and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$172,606±$16kHighest 66% above MA	$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$855,600±$22kHighest 52% above MA	$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,201±$129Highest 25% above MA	$1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$6,114Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.7%±7.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	2.9%Lowest MA: 10%	12.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest about the MA average	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	30.4%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#68 of 282 in MA	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical	Salem
High school in town	Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.