What stands out worked out from the figures below

Freeport has the most homeowners (77.6%).

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	Freeport	Salem
People
Population	8,802Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.8±4.3Highest 25% above U.S.	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Freeport and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Salem and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,326±$19kHighest 33% above U.S.	$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S.
	Freeport and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$508,400±$76kLowest 53% above U.S.	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.
	Salem and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,439±$123Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,042Lowest 62% above U.S.	$6,114Highest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	54.9%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Freeport and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 11% below U.S.	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	21.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Salem and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#4 of 133 in ME	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	RSU 05	Salem
High school in town	Freeport High School	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	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.