What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salem has the most kids (23.2% under 18).

Beacon Falls has the oldest population (median age 48.4).

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	Salem	Beacon Falls
People
Population	4,282Lowest	6,147Highest
Median age	40.9±5.4Lowest about the CT average	48.4±3.8Highest 18% above CT
	Beacon Falls and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.2%±5.1Highest CT: 20.2%	18%±4.8Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Salem and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±4.7Lowest CT: 18.5%	23.5%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5%
	Beacon Falls and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.6%Highest CT: 42.5%	44.6%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±3.3Highest CT: 7.1%	5.3%±3.2Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Salem and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$123,245±$8kHighest 29% above CT	$101,516±$42kLowest 6% above CT
	Salem and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$403,600±$33kHighest 10% above CT	$350,300±$34kLowest 5% below CT
	Salem and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,440±$150Lowest 3% below CT	$1,921±$286Highest 29% above CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,668Highest about the CT average	$6,534Lowest about the CT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32.1%±26Lowest CT: 52.6%	50.7%±30.4Highest CT: 52.6%
	Beacon Falls and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Highest CT: 10%	2.1%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.6%Highest CT: 66.5%	85.5%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT	1985Lowest 18 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minLowest 19% above CT	33 minHighest 23% above CT
Work from home	18%±9.6Lowest CT: 16%	20.3%±7.4Highest CT: 16%
	Beacon Falls 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	#11 of 149 in CT	#77 of 149 in CT
School district	Salem School District	Regional School District 16
High school in town	None in town	Woodland Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.2
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.