What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rockland has the most homeowners (76.5%).

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	Rockland	Salem
People
Population	17,701Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.7±3.3Highest about the MA average	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average
	Rockland and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.2%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4%	15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Rockland and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	Salem and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%	47.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$112,405±$12kHighest 8% above MA	$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$472,900±$21kLowest 16% below MA	$542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,610±$255Lowest 9% below MA	$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA
	Salem and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,487Highest 8% above MA	$6,114Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.7%±10.4Lowest MA: 51.8%	54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Salem and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.5%Lowest MA: 10%	12.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Highest 2 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	14.7%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#175 of 282 in MA	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Rockland	Salem
High school in town	Rockland Senior High	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.