What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marlborough has the most people working from home (33.2%).

Salem has the shortest commute (32 min average).

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	Marlborough	Salem
People
Population	6,130Highest	4,282Lowest
Median age	41.8±4.7Highest about the CT average	40.9±5.4Lowest about the CT average
	Marlborough and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.6%±5.2Highest CT: 20.2%	23.2%±5.1Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Marlborough and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.3%±3.5Lowest CT: 18.5%	19.7%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5%
	Salem and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.9%Lowest CT: 42.5%	50.6%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.6Lowest CT: 7.1%	5.8%±3.3Highest CT: 7.1%
	Salem and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$142,105±$35kHighest 48% above CT	$123,245±$8kLowest 29% above CT
	Marlborough and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$379,100±$33kLowest 3% above CT	$403,600±$33kHighest 10% above CT
	Salem and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,333±$438Lowest 10% below CT	$1,440±$150Highest 3% below CT
	Salem and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,397Highest 11% above CT	$6,668Lowest about the CT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.2%±36Highest CT: 52.6%	32.1%±26Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Marlborough and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.7%Highest CT: 10%	6.2%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.6%Highest CT: 66.5%	86.6%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 10 yrs newer than CT	1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 29% above CT	32 minLowest 19% above CT
Work from home	33.2%±8.9Highest CT: 16%	18%±9.6Lowest CT: 16%
	Marlborough and Salem 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	#52 of 149 in CT	#11 of 149 in CT
School district	Marlborough School District	Salem School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

CT 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.