What stands out worked out from the figures below

Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).

Salem has the most homeowners (75.6%).

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	Everett	Salem
People
Population	50,045Highest	30,964Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35.2±1.5Lowest 10% below U.S.	44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22%	16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	11.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,218±$7kLowest 6% above U.S.	$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$610,000±$23kHighest 83% above U.S.	$473,300±$16kLowest 42% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$69Highest 47% above U.S.	$1,625±$146Lowest 15% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,880Lowest 56% above U.S.	$6,992Highest 124% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Everett and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	75.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 33% above U.S.	29 minLowest 10% above U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#264 of 282 in MA	#38 of 120 in NH
School district	Everett	Salem School District
High school in town	Everett High	Salem High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.2Lowest
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.