What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gloucester has the most homeowners (63.9%).

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	Gloucester	Salem
People
Population	30,075Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	15.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	15.7%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4%
	Salem and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	47.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA	$85,153±$5kHighest 18% below MA
	Salem and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$600,600±$18kHighest 7% above MA	$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,411±$94Lowest 20% below MA	$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,152Highest about the MA average	$6,114Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.1%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8%	54.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Gloucester and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.6%Lowest MA: 10%	12.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Highest 18 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 18% below MA	29 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#164 of 282 in MA	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Gloucester	Salem
High school in town	Gloucester High	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.0Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA 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.