What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ipswich has the highest household income ($139k).

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	Ipswich	Salem
People
Population	13,930Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	18.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4%	15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Ipswich and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.9%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.2%Highest MA: 47.3%	47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA	$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$745,400±$40kHighest 33% above MA	$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA	$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,960Highest 33% above MA	$6,114Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.5%±12.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Salem and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest MA: 10%	12.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Highest same as MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest about the MA average	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	18.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%
	Salem and Ipswich 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	#101 of 282 in MA	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Ipswich	Salem
High school in town	Ipswich High	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.0Lowest	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.