What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bristol has the most homeowners (66.1%).

Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).

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.

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

Measure	Bristol	Salem
People
Population	22,220Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43±2.2Highest 11% above U.S.	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average
	Bristol and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12.9%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Salem and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	18.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,764±$8kHighest 21% above U.S.	$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S.
	Bristol and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$485,000±$25kLowest 46% above U.S.	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,579±$118Lowest 12% above U.S.	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,393Lowest 73% above U.S.	$6,114Highest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.9%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	66.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Highest 16 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	11.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#20 of 38 in RI	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Bristol Warren	Salem
High school in town	Mt. Hope High School	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.