What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cumberland has the most homeowners (76.3%).

Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).

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	Cumberland	Salem
People
Population	36,820Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.5±1.2Highest 12% above U.S.	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	23.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Cumberland and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$117,522±$8kHighest 46% above U.S.	$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$431,000±$15kLowest 30% above U.S.	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,379±$109Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,870Lowest 56% above U.S.	$6,114Highest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.9%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Salem and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	14.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#18 of 38 in RI	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland	Salem
High school in town	Cumberland High School	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.6Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.