What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hull has the most homeowners (79.6%).

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	Hull	Salem
People
Population	10,138Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	15.7%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	26.1%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$115,485±$14kHighest 11% above MA	$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$646,000±$38kHighest 15% above MA	$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,081±$187Highest 18% above MA	$1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA
	Hull and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,089Lowest about the MA average	$6,114Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±14Lowest MA: 51.8%	54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Salem and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Lowest MA: 10%	12.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%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	33 minHighest 14% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	19.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%
	Salem and Hull 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	#66 of 282 in MA	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Hull	Salem
High school in town	Hull High	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.8Lowest	9.8Highest
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.