Compare towns
Bristol vs Salem vs Warren
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most homeowners (66.1%).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Warren has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
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 | Bristol | Salem | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,220 |
44,795Highest |
11,144Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±2.2 11% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
49±2.9Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Salem and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Warren and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,764±$8kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$90,729±$12k 12% above U.S. |
| Bristol and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,000±$25k 46% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$395,700±$22kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,579±$118 12% above U.S. |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,363±$96Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,393Lowest 73% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$5,474 76% 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% |
54.6%±9.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
61.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #20 of 38 in RI | #248 of 282 in MA | #31 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Bristol Warren | Salem | Highlander · Bristol Warren |
| High school in town | Mt. Hope High School | Salem High | Highlander Secondary Charter S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
9.8Lowest |
15.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.