What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lincoln has the most homeowners (72.1%).

Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).

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	Lincoln	Salem
People
Population	22,864Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.2Highest 12% above U.S.	39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	21.5%±3Highest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	24%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Salem and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,821±$15kHighest 30% above U.S.	$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S.
	Lincoln and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$450,600±$17kLowest 35% above U.S.	$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,468±$152Lowest 4% above U.S.	$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,751Lowest 52% above U.S.	$6,114Highest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.4%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Salem and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 8% below U.S.	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	13.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#21 of 38 in RI	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Davies Career and Tech · Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy	Salem
High school in town	Lincoln Senior High School	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	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.